Chilling
by Dally-Fang
Summary: Leah Clearwater never expected her life to change drastically, to meet her mate, who is a Chilling. She never expected to know how to control the light that burns inside her body, waiting to defeat the wretched men that want to destroy her mate's kingdom. Nightmares collide with fantasies, and no one will escape without a blackened heart. Darkness lurks around every turn. Beware.
1. Preface

Preface:

Edited: September 27, 2012

**Figures stalked toward her, surrounding** her body until she was in the center, with her back pressed to the ground and her eyes alert with fright. Shivers racked her shoulders, and she glowered at the sole figure that loomed above her head with a broad smirk on his face. He snickered and allowed his eyes to wander toward the sky, where he could see the moon transforming into something larger: a full moon. His body drew energy from the moon, and he inhaled profoundly. He grinned, and Leah couldn't help but feel more terrified of him. He wasn't normal.

"Let me go," she growled.

"Never, my Leah," he murmured. "I worked too hard to get you, and I won't let you get away from me again. I was paid for this, but I've decided to reject their offer. With you, I can accomplish everything. They wanted a new _possession_, but they won't get it. _You're mine_."

He stepped on her wrist, relishing in the whimpers that escaped her lips. Closing his eyes, he focused on the structure of her hand and how it was crumbling under his touch. She couldn't stand the pain. Leah hoped _he_ would come soon.

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><p>I'm sorry it's so short, but I thought this was much better than my previous entry. It has more meaning and less mistakes. I hope you all like this. Also, please check out my Wattpad account called DannyDeAngelus and my story called The Untold Story of Titania Cosmos. Here is an excerpt:<p>

**Derron grabbed her entire head** and slammed her against the floor. She yelped and clutched her forearms with her palms. Trying to escape, she placed herself on all fours and dragged her nearly limp body across the room. He chuckled under his breath darkly and stalked, much like a predator, toward her. Grabbing her cheek, he turned her around and stepped on her ankle, making her whimper. She tried to claw her way out, but it did nothing, except bother him. He dragged her body, making sure her body scraped against the floorboards. Derron grasped her entire body with both hands and lifted her off the ground, making her face him. He shifted on his feet, meandering closer to the bay window. She looked at the window and nearly cried out. He was going to throw her.

Chest heaving with energy, he clutched her closely and placed his body, with his knees touching the cushion on the bay window, almost outside the window. He grinned maliciously at her, watching her as she cried silently to herself, and threw half her body out the window. Desperately, she threw herself on him, but it was too late; her body was slipping away, with only her feet positioned on the actual glass. Her tears obscured her eyesight, and she began to pray under her breath.

"Now you want me, don't you? I don't repulse you now!"

She whimpered as she felt burly droplets of blood sliding down her ankles and down her neck. Her fingertips glided toward the glass, and almost against her will, she gripped the glass with all her might.


	2. Chapter 1: Introduction to Chilling

Chapter 1: Chilling Introduction  
>Edited: October 6, 2012<p>

**Shivers slithered down her back,** causing her shoulders to rack with runty quivers. She licked her chapped lips, glanced behind her back, and frowned; there wasn't anything there. Leah's ears perked up at the abrupt sounds that engulfed her from every corner. She growled, shifting her body to the center of the woods. She was alone, and there wasn't anyone that could save her. A shadow dodged from tree-to-tree, but she couldn't identify who it was. Leah couldn't deny the bad vibes she got from whatever was stalking her, but she didn't let it show. She raised her chin and listened, waiting and waiting for the disaster that was to come.

"Leah...what's wrong?" Seth asked after a moment of listening to her thoughts. She shook her head and allowed her eyes to follow the creature that was tempting her, causing her legs to sprint toward them. Seth screamed in his head, but before she could even reach the tree-line, she was pushed to the side. She collided with the ground, her head banging against the ground and dazing her for a second. Leah coughed and gazed upward. Her eyes met ashen ones, making a million little strings attach themselves onto her and the person. She closed her eyes and relaxed her body. Leah knew she was safe.

* * *

><p>This is extremely short, but it sets the stage for chapter two. If there are any questions or if you don't think there is enough background information, please message me or review. Also, I made a twitter for my writing, and it's called DannyDeAngelus. Please check out my Wattpad, too, called DannyDeAngelus. Hopefully, this writing wasn't terrible. The next chapter will be long - trust me. :) Thanks for reading!<p> 


	3. Chapter 2: Infrigidando

Chapter 2: Infrigidando

Edited: October 21, 2012

**Narrowed eyes pierced Sam's core,** making him stagger back and clutch his chest. His eyes bore holes into Sam's eyes, impaling him with an intensity that made him want to cower and hide; however, he puffed his chest out and glanced at Leah, who was unconscious and draped carefully over his arms. Sensing Sam's gaze, he pulled Leah away from his stare and growled menacingly; Sam resisted the urge to whimper along with the rest of his pack, which was clearly frightened by the new stranger. He wasn't like anything they had ever seen, and his aurora was far stronger than anyone they had ever met; they felt intimidated by the natural power and authority that flowed off his body in waves along with his appearance.

Lithe muscles coated his entire body, which was long and tall but sturdy. His jaw was clenched, showing his prominent facial features, which consisted of high cheekbones, a masculine jaw, and ashen eyes that blazed with fierceness. Dark eyebrows were inclined downward, causing his glower to become even more dominant. Dirty blonde locks staggered down his forehead, reaching the corners of his eyes. His body was ramrod straight, with his feet firmly planted onto the ground, showing no indication of flight.

Sam stepped forward along with the rest of his pack, which reluctantly followed their leader. Watching the stranger's eyes narrow further made him stop. The stranger moved forward and raised an eyebrow as a challenge - a challenge he knew Sam would lose; he knew everything about everyone even what they didn't expect. Dieter was far better than all those wolves because he was an _Infrigidando_ - a chilling, a natural warrior, and the ruler's son. Dieter wasn't normal; he was far better.

Dieter's ears perked up at the hasty footsteps that retreated further and further away, dodging all distractions, causing destruction in every corner, which made him frown and growl. He had lost his father's traitor. His fists clenched, and he jutted his jaw until he could feel the bones contracting and scraping against each other. Dieter's eyes wandered toward Leah, and his stance softened, making Sam glance between them. His eyes widened, and his breaths transfigured into hasty puffs. It couldn't be, but it was; Leah's last thought was a million little strings, and this stranger was looking at her fondly. It couldn't be true, but deep down, Sam knew it was.

"What's your name?" Sam inquired, making his chest puff out.

Dieter's jaw clenched, before he took deep breaths and slackened his muscles. He shifted on his feet, positioned Leah over his arms once more, and considered this wolf. Sam was trying to be threatening, but he didn't consider him to be threatening. Dieter thought he looked quite amusing, entertaining almost and funny to look at; his stance was wrong, and if he wanted, he could easily tackle him to the ground and render him defenseless. He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, before he considered his preposition. Accepting would make him seem like he was abiding to the rules while ignoring him would bring him to a rocky start with Leah. Everything brought him back to her. He nodded to himself and exhaled briefly.

"Dieter Athanasios," he stated. His voice was smooth and collected with unhidden coolness and steeliness. Sam nodded and took a furtive step forward. He glanced between Leah and Dieter and knew there wasn't a chance he would get Leah back.

"My name is-"

"Samuel Uley," he stated, ignoring the way Sam's eyebrows shot up; he was used to these reactions even though he was barely seventeen. Sam gulped and wanted to walk away from this creature but couldn't. He couldn't afford to make himself look weak along with the rest of his pack, which he could tell was crumbling. They looked puzzled and frightened, judging by their tense backs and burly eyes. Dieter stared at Seth and wasn't surprised that he was being cautious but wasn't alerted like the others. He stared at Embry and was a bit startled to see they also had a bond - a family bond. Nodding, he stored the information for later.

Shaking his head, he took a few puffs of fresh air and cleared his mind. The only thing that popped into his head repeatedly, making his head pulsate with thought was chaos. Lately, there had been a lot of chaos occurring around La Push. Everyone had been warned to be careful along with Forks residents. It simply wasn't safe anymore; residents everywhere felt manipulated by an unseen being, which mortals commonly thought was a serial murderer, and slaughtered viciously. Victims' friends reported that their loved ones had felt stalked beforehand, as if someone were waiting for them to come toward them, before they saw a dark figure approaching them daily. After a while, they disappeared and were found several weeks later. All of this had occurred in various locations, but this area had been attacked more and more every two weeks.

Swallowing the lump that constricted his throat, Samuel glowered at that pathetic creature that had suddenly popped in the middle of La Push. Even though he didn't have hardcore evidence, he knew Dieter was the one who had committed all of these crimes. Dieter knew his name beforehand, knew everything that made him want to run away in terror, and he knew Leah. Sam knew Leah had been watched ever since the last killing, but he hadn't thought it was anything more than a human; he hadn't thought of the possibility that a new creature could be the cause of this. Eyebrows furrowed, he stared at Leah and shifted on his feet. His gaze was concerned but determined; he knew what he had to do. Even though this might hurt Leah, it was necessary. Her imprint was a murderer, and he knew she wouldn't want to live with the hurt and guilt that came with being associated with a murderer.

"I'm not a murderer, Sam," he answered. "I'm not a threat. I'm trying to get rid of the threat." Sam shook his head and marched forward, mustering all his courage and anger. His entire body quivered, and his mind screamed liar. Halfway toward Dieter, he shifted into his wolf self and growled ferociously. The rest of his pack -except for two - followed his lead and hurriedly sprinted toward Dieter. All they could think about was killing the threat and saving their pack mate.

Dieter shook his head and glanced at Leah, who was still unconscious. He knew that if he attacked any of her pack mates, she wouldn't trust him. His eyes bore holes into Sam's forehead, and he resisted the urge to manipulate his mind; instead, he positioned Leah over his shoulders and ran in the opposite direction. After a few seconds, he had outran them, but Dieter didn't know what to do. He couldn't hurt her pack because his family would be outraged to hear that he had attacked shape shifters; plus, Leah wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore, which he was sure Sam would try to poison her mind about, and his sister would physically kill him if she realized that he had attacked her mate - Embry Call, who was a Jacob Black's half brother. Dieter ran his hand across his hair and blew a puff of air. He glanced at Leah and knew it wasn't time to take her; she would never forgive him, accept him, or even want to acknowledge the ways of his people.

Knowing what he had to do, he sprinted toward the clearing, being very careful that they couldn't see nor smell him anymore. He carefully laid her on the ground and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I'll always be with you, my Leah," he promised.

Dieter looked up and wasn't surprised to see Embry and Seth looking straight at him. He offered them a curt nod before he left. They wouldn't tell anyone what they had just experienced. Briskly, they shifted and stalked around the perimeter. He was gone.

"We've found her," Quil stated. "But he is gone."

"We can't tell Leah," Sam said before anyone could say anything. "She shouldn't know this happened to her."

The order was clear; they could never tell Leah. Embry and Seth shifted back to their human selves along with everyone else. Their lips were sealed until the order was gone, but they knew it would never go away. Sam had one purpose in his mind: protect Leah from her imprint. He didn't know that what he was doing was robbing her of everything. Sam wanted to keep Leah safe by keeping her in the dark. Because of his order, Embry and Seth wouldn't be able to tell Leah about their bonds, or the promise that Dieter had made to Leah. She wouldn't know how much he meant to keep that promise.

* * *

><p>A bittersweet taste lingered inside her mouth, making her glower and frown, causing her pack mates to become even more concerned about her. She peered at them from behind her eyelashes, before she unconsciously furrowed her eyebrows and leaned forward so her knees were bent over her chest. Licking her chapped lips, she fingered her wrist and ignored the sensation that threatened to overwhelm her; it would destroy her until she could no longer bare the pain and would wither away. Leah clutched her head, which was pounding and groaning from overexertion, and tried to clear her mind. She closed her eyes and exhaled briefly, but all she could see was him. Leah hadn't seen him correctly, but she had seen his eyes - his soul. His ashen eyes would forever be imprinted inside her mind, never leaving her nor letting her forget that he existed. She shook her head and opened her eyes determinedly. Leah had to tell them, so they wouldn't accidentally murder him and would...she paused and chewed on her bottom lip. How would they react?<p>

"I need to tell you guys something," she started quietly. Her hands quivered from the fright she felt; she didn't want to be rejected by her pack. They were all she had along with her mother and Seth. She couldn't afford to be disowned by her family. "The stranger is-"

"He's evil, Leah," Sam interrupted. "We understand he's dangerous and evil. He threatened our well-being. He must be the one that is stalking and then murdering those people in Seattle and Port Angelus. We're lucky we got there in time, or you wouldn't be here today."

Hearing Sam say all those degrading things about her mate made her feel angry. How dare him? Her mate wasn't a murderer, but then again, what had he been doing in that region? She shook her head, but her thoughts ran wild. What if her mate was the murderer that was stalking and then killing innocent people? She couldn't stand it if her mate was a murderer, but maybe he would change his ways if she helped him? Who was she kidding, a murderer was always going to be a murderer, and she didn't think she could live with herself. She protected people and couldn't be tied down by a murderer.

Leah glanced at her pack mates, then at Seth, who was carefully watching her. She nodded and stood on wobbly legs. Keeping her emotions in check, she leveled herself and started to walk home.

"My shift is done," she said. "I'm going home."

Leah knew they were hiding something from her the moment she woke up. There was something wrong with the way they ignored her eyes or shifted whenever she was near. She could sense the uneasiness the pack felt, and she felt insulted that they didn't trust her with any information on her pack. It must have been Sam's doing, she thought bitterly. Truthfully, she was exhausted and wanted to take a bath and sleep.

As she walked, she shuddered and peeked behind her shoulders. Something was watching her. She ignored the feeling and briskly walked home. Leah could feel something waiting and watching, debating whether they should strike. She shook her head and prayed that it was just her imagination. Her breaths quickened, making her chest heave up and down continuously. Swallowing, she jogged home but couldn't ignore the feeling. She was getting close to home but was still a fair distance away. Anyone could attack her if they wanted to.

"Calm down, Leah."

Immediately, her head snapped to the side, and she crouched in a defensive manner. Her eyes abruptly wandered from place-to-place, trying to figure out who had said that. After a few seconds, she relaxed herself and continued to walk home. Leah could no longer feel the ominous sensation from before; however, she could still feel eyes watching her from behind. She wasn't worried because Leah knew that whoever was watching her wouldn't hurt her. Leah felt protected and safe.

Once she got home, she opened the door and slammed it behind her. She could still feel someone watching her but guessed it might have been Embry or Seth or someone else from her pack. Leah trudged inside her bathroom, closed the door, sealed the windows, and was glad to know that no one was watching her anymore. She prepared her shower and stripped, getting inside and savoring the warmth. Even though she didn't usually take a shower with warm water because she was naturally warm, she felt like today was an exception. From the inside, she felt cold and alone because her mate wasn't here. She shook her head and continued to shower.

From the shadows, Dieter could see that no one was home except for Leah. He growled and shook his head repeatedly so he could control himself better. No one was there to protect her. If Dieter hadn't been there, Nox would have taken her and made her the next victim, especially since he knew she was valuable to his Kingdom. Without Leah, Dieter would perish, and his Kingdom would partially be destroyed; therefore, Leah needed to be protected by him at all times. He loved her too much, so he would personally protect her. If he couldn't because he was doing his duties, his sister or the guards would take over.

Dieter carefully detached himself from the shadows and climbed up her window. He looked around her room and briefly smiled. Pursing his lips, he attached himself to the shadows again. Leah wouldn't be able to see him, but she would be able feel him. This was part of his natural abilities. The Infrigidando had various natural abilities, which consisted of the ability to know everything about everyone, being able to control emotions, manipulation, and persuasion. What separated his family from everyone else was their ability to be able to do anything. It took a lot of practice, but eventually, they would be able to have any power they wanted. Dieter could travel back and forth between the Shadow Realm, which was highly dangerous and could take his life. Thankfully, those who inhabited that dimension allowed him free reign and wouldn't attack him.

Dieter's ears perked up once he heard almost silent footsteps heading his way. The door opened and closed, revealing Leah, who looked troubled with her thoughts. She looked at her window and frowned when she shivered at the cool air that attacked her body. Closing the window, she turned around and looked at her room. Her eyes rested where he was, making the corners of his lips rise; he was proud that she could sense him. Leah shook her head and climbed into bed. Her thoughts troubled her, so she tossed and turned and quickly glanced his way. She frowned and sighed, massaging her temples. Swallowing the lump that constricted her throat, she closed her eyes and waited.

"Sleep, love," Dieter whispered in her ears. She shivered but complied.

The stress was finally getting to her, she reasoned. Hearing voices wasn't normal. As soon as she thought that, she feel into a deep slumber. Her body was twisted in his direction, and he couldn't help but smile. He leaned down and kissed her temples.

"Sweet dreams, love."

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! If you are reading this, congratulations you are alive. The Infrigidando are mine, so if anyone wants to use them, please ask. I like sharing. :) Please forgive me for updating almost two weeks after, but I had too many projects due. Knowing that I'm probably going to be assigned three more projects soon, I decided to update today. So, after rewriting this chapter a few times, I got this. I combined two of my entries and got this; I am very proud of how it turned out. Also, thanks to anyone who is reading my story. I really appreciate it. I really thought no one was going to read this story because it was discontinued before, and I was shocked by all the messages and favorites and views. This story got four hundred views in a day. I was pleasantly shocked. Thanks! :) I love you all. Feel free to message me anytime on here, or Wattpad, which is DannyDeAngelus, my twitter, DannyDeAngelus, or my email, which is dannydeangelus, and it's gmail account. Thanks for everything! Have a nice day! :)<p> 


	4. Chapter 3: Pain & Confusion

Chapter 3: **Pain & Confusion**  
>Edited: November 12, 2012<p>

**Dieter stopped the words from** leaving his mouth as soon as he heard footsteps wandering outside Leah's room, waiting and listening to his nearly silent conversation. He licked his lips and tousled his hair with both hands while sighing profusely in the process. Dieter couldn't believe he had been that reckless — that stupid. He knew who was outside that door, but what if it hadn't been someone he knew and trusted? What if it had been one of his enemies? Dieter had been so focused on Leah that he hadn't thought about anything else, and that was horrible. He had risked his mate's life, and he felt guilty beyond belief; he couldn't play with his mate's life because she meant everything to him. Dieter would even give up his own life for her because he would rather sacrifice himself than her; she was special and beautiful and everything he wasn't — _she was light_. He sighed and touched the side of her face with his thumb while trying to contain his fright. Dieter was terrorized of the future that lay ahead of them, but he couldn't show it. He had to be a ruthless leader at all times, and Dieter couldn't let his guard down, but he hadn't been acting like this lately. Dieter was distracted because of everything, especially the dreams that visited him at night. They didn't seem like dreams but nightmares - almost like visions of the future.

"Come in, Leyna," he whispered.

The door opened and his sister timidly rushed inside the room and exhaled once she saw Leah. She dashed forward and touched her cheek, beaming slightly when she saw what she needed to know. Leyna whirled around and grabbed Dieter's hand, forcing him to frown and clutch her wrist in response.

"She's pure," she mumured under her breath, as if she was talking to herself. Leyna touched the side of Leah's face and whispered something Dieter couldn't understand inside her ears. "It's amazing you've found your mate, brother, but I'm afraid..."

She didn't finish but she didn't need to because he understood what she meant. When his sister had mentioned the word pure, he had cringed and almost regretted ever meeting her. She was pure, and he was sure he would taint her innocence because his world was different and more violent than hers. Dieter was afraid of taking her mental innocence, which meant she hadn't seen anything horrible in the world, because her innocence is what made her. Without it, he was afraid she would crumble and cease to exist; he was afraid she would try to kill herself like many others who weren't of his species tried to do. That was one of the reasons why his species didn't have mates from other species along with the fact that his species were stronger and having a child with another could lead to complications. He shook his head and couldn't bare to think about that anymore. Dieter didn't want to think about what he would take from her once she knew he existed and was her mate, but it was hard because he didn't want to take that away from her. His sister's mental innocence was taken away from her at a very young age, and that had been the hardest time for his family and their kingdom. It had nearly collapsed because their princess hadn't been mentally stable at that time. He glanced at Leyna and wasn't surprised to find her shaking her head and staring back at him. Immediately, she grabbed his hand and didn't let go because she wanted to comfort him even if he didn't know she was comforting him.

"I'm fine and I'm sure she'll be fine. We all go through it differently, but she seems strong both mentally and physically. If anything did happen to her, which I doubt because you will always protect her, she would be able to protect herself. I'm sure everything will be fine," she stated, offering him a tiny smile. He nodded gratefully and turned back to Leah, whose body moved closer to his.

Leyna let go of her brother's hand and immediately began to wring her wrist with her hand. She gnawed on her bottom lip and tried remove her nightmares from her head. Her heart hammered in her chest, causing it to heave up and down continuously, making her become even more nervous than before. Leyna could feel it; she could feel the dread and agony the future would bring. She shouldn't have reassured her brother, but she couldn't help it because he looked so broken when she told him Leah was pure. The last time her brother had ever looked broken was when she had been...she stopped and trembled and didn't allow her thoughts to stray in that direction. Leyna couldn't even think about that experience anymore because it had changed her forever. She peered at Leah from behind her thick eyelashes and prayed to the Lord that Leah would be safe and wouldn't have to go through her experiences. Leyna prayed to the Lord, but she knew that the future would be dreadful. No one was safe in the future.

"Leyna, are you okay?" her brother asked. She blinked minutely and nodded without even thinking. Leyna stumbled backwards and landed on the ground, but she couldn't think or even breath anymore. She laid on the ground with her eyes boring holes onto the ceiling and her lips forming a straight line. Leyna pressed her ears to the ground and ignored her brother as he hurriedly grabbed her body and whispered something she couldn't hear in her ears.

"He's coming," she whispered before she grabbed he brother's hand and propped herself upright. "He's coming. I don't know–"

Dieter's lips formed a tight line as he listened and picked up on the footsteps that promptly stalked toward Leah's room. He glanced at his sister, who was now straying toward the window while peeking at the door with unhidden terror. She chewed on her bottom lip, and Dieter was afraid she would harm herself because of her mate. Why was she nervous? He grabbed her hand and pushed her into the shadows while hugging her from the side. His sister couldn't travel inside the shadows because she had never mastered that part of her powers. She claimed she didn't want to master that part, and he never said anything against that because he knew Leyna wasn't like him. His sister was softer but not fragile, compassionate but not gullible, and she was light. Leyna was the light of the kingdom while he was dark. He stared at his sister as she clutched his wrist with unnecessary force and accidentally projected her previous dreams in his head. Dieter closed his eyes and allowed small snippets of her dreams to flow through his head.

He could see everything she could see without letting her realize he was inside her head, without alarming nor frightening her. Dieter searched through her head and caught her burly eyes staring at the shadows around her, glowering and thrashing at the strangers that engulfed her from both sides. She was surrounded and wasn't allowed to do anything but sit in the center of their formation with her hands touching her wrists — her sign of nervousness. Dieter could see her eyes boring holes onto two figures beyond the horizon — Leah and Embry. He could see blood pouring around them, touching their figures and seeping inside of their clothes while tainting their innocence. Dieter shuddered and snapped out of it once the footsteps stopped outside Leah's door and abruptly entered the room.

He understood her fear, and he couldn't help but feel the same way. His sister was trying to prevent herself from recognizing her mate so he wouldn't be hurt, but she already knew who it was. Once she knew who her mate was, she had to claim him or else she would die and her mate would feel a loss in his soul even if he hadn't met her yet. He nudged her hard in her stomach, and she nearly growled but covered it with her hands because she didn't want Embry to hear her. Embry moved toward Leah, looked down at her and noticed her body twisting on top of her bed. She whimpered and thrashed around, alarming Leyna and Dieter.

"Nightmares," Leyna whispered with such conviction that Dieter believed her. His mate was having nightmares - the very same ones they had every night. He swallowed and knew he couldn't do anything about the nightmares that would torment her at night. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't help her and that was killing him in the inside.

Embry frowned and gradually turned around until his back was facing Leah and his eyes were staring right at Leyna. She nearly gasped and hid her face in Dieter's shirt, but it was too late. Staggering backwards a bit, Embry composed himself and blinked until he couldn't see the little cables attaching themselves to her eyes. She whimpered and cowered against her brother, who still had them in the shadows but was tempted to release them.

"Don't even think about it," she uttered under her breath. He scoffed but listened to Leyna even though he didn't agree with her. His sister should recognize her mate or else tragedy would strike.

Embry stalked toward the shadows with determination and an air of familiarity. It was almost as if he knew that his mate was hiding in the shadows. He didn't know how she processed that power or if she was even there, but he had to know. He had just imprinted, and he needed to know who he had imprinted on. It was important to Embry because he now had someone to love him for being himself and someone to protect for the rest of his life; however, he couldn't help but feel a bit rejected that his mate hadn't presented herself yet. Maybe she didn't want him? He didn't know why he wasn't alarmed there was a possibility that there were strangers wandering around, but he guessed they must be alright people to have not killed them yet. He had seen what Dieter was capable of, and he seen the moment when he promised Leah he would come back. Embry didn't doubt that Dieter was possibly there with his mate, but he wanted to see it with his own eyes. He was desperate.

"Take us somewhere else," she begged, biting her lips once more. Reluctantly, he nodded, took one more look at their mates, and traveled inside the Shadow Realm, where they could see empty eyes staring at them until they left.

"They're different," his sister remarked, and he couldn't help but agree with her. "They seemed like they were waiting for us to enter. Dieter, please don't travel in the shadows anymore. I think they want you to stay there — permanently. If you go into the shadows again, I don't think they'll let you leave."

He nodded but he knew he wouldn't be able to keep that promise for long. The shadows were a part of him because he was dark. He didn't think his sister understood that aspect, but he let it slide because she had enough stress. Dieter didn't think the _Populus Fusca_ — People of the Shadows — would take him because his powers were similar to theirs. He was worried they would try to take his sister instead because she was light.

"Try to think about Embry," Dieter said as she started to leave. "Think about the confusion and pain he's had to go through all these years because he didn't have a father. Now, think about the pain he felt when he shifted, didn't have anyone there except his pack, and the confusion he must have felt when they told him his father could have been one of the prominent figures in their society. He doesn't know who his father is, and now, he doesn't even know who his mate is."

She coughed to hide the fact she wanted to cry, but she turned around and marched toward him. Her eyes were narrowed and fierce as she glowered at him and tried to intimidate him.

"I don't want to hurt him," she whispered, and she lost her appearance once tears flooded in her eyes. Leyna left without saying anything else, and Dieter couldn't help but feel guilty; however, he knew he had done the right thing because she needed to know this about Embry. It would help her in the future. Dieter massaged his temples with his hands and walked toward the Headquarters, where he would discuss important matters with those closest to him. He sighed and couldn't help but think of the times when they weren't as stressed out as now, but that was in the _Golden Age_ — an age that ceased to exist.

* * *

><p>Shudders threatened to slither down his back, but he held it in and gritted his teeth. His hands, which were clenched, trembled immensely from the force he was exerting on himself. Veins popped from under his flesh and came back to life as he flexed his arms and brought them back so he wouldn't be tempted to destroy anything. His ashen eyes were narrowed, showing only a slither of resistance. Dieter's entire body was tense, revealing burly muscles that were strained under resistance. He whirled around and glowered, stalking and pacing around until he could get his head together.<p>

"He got away again," he repeated lowly, stopping near the doorway of his Headquarters. His second-hand man nodded and grimaced, running his hands through his hair.

Dieter swallowed his rage and tried to control the shivers that racked his body. He was beyond angry; Dieter was murderous — so murderous, he wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone. The Elite Team dared to call themselves professionals — pathetic. He scoffed under his breath and stomped out of the room but not before his best mate grabbed his wrist and turned him around. Nye stared into his eyes and wasn't frightened by what he saw. He knew Dieter only wanted to protect his mate, and it was steadily growing impossible due to Adrian's malevolent actions.

"Your father wants to see you along with the council. They want to discuss what has happened," he explained.

Dieter exhaled profoundly and pinched the bridge of his nose. After a few seconds, he nodded and trudged toward the Conference Room. Dieter could feel someone silently following him, trying to see and feel what he did. Nye's eyes continued to bore holes into the back of Dieter's head until he turned the corner and was gone. As soon as his friend was gone, he tried to ignore the sinking sensation he felt at the pit of his stomach. Nye knew this wouldn't end well.

As Dieter walked down the hallway, the lights flickered on and off continuously. Immediately, he stopped and checked the ceiling. What he found brought a wild turmoil of emotions. Before he knew it, he staggered to the back of the hallway and held his chest, which was throbbing. He touched his head and blinked back the emotions that threatened to tear him apart. Without tearing his eyes from the ground, he stumbled to the floor and held his chest. His fingers twitched but stopped. Dieter's eyes were focused on the ceiling, but he was in a state. Someone screamed garishly, and soon, footsteps hurried his way. No one noticed the ceiling until much later.

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><p>Hello, everyone! Thanks for reading this story because I really appreciate the responses I get from this story. I'm really sorry I didn't update sooner, but I had school and my phone decided to be mean and delete the chapter I had written. I rewrote it but it wasn't good enough, so I didn't publish. I'm glad I didn't publish sooner because my original idea wasn't as great as this chapter, which I admit I love. I'll update over the weekend again — hopefully. I am going to make a cover for this story, and hopefully, it'll turn out right. Also, please read my other stories if any of you have the chance, and if there are any Possession fans reading this, I might update today. I'm not sure because I don't know how to make it flow correctly. If any one likes original horror stories, please read my story on Wattpad called <span>The Untold Story of Titania Cosmos<span>, and my account is DannyDeAngelus. Thanks for everything! Have a great day!


	5. Chapter 4: Impetusque & Shadows

Chapter 4: **Impetusque & Shadows in the Dark **  
>Edited: November 21, 2012<p>

**Leyna glanced at her brother **and instantly recoiled at the horrendous sight; his ashen eyes had whitened over the course of a few minutes, his body had tensed and turned a ghastly shade of white, but his lips were blood red. He kept spewing blood from the corners of his lips without moving nor showing any indication that he was in control of his own mind. Licking her lips, she touched her temples, which throbbed and pulsated under her fingers, before staggering backwards at the thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her. She swallowed and peered at everyone in the room — all of whom were her family or higher ranking guards. They hadn't noticed her yet, but that was fine because she wasn't supposed to be here anyways. She was sure her parents wouldn't want her there because they didn't think she could handle it. Leyna didn't even know if she could handle, but she had to see for herself because she couldn't take anyone's word on it. They would try to lighten the situation, but she wanted — no, she needed — to know the facts. She needed to know if what she was dreaming was coming true, and if it was, she knew they wouldn't survive the future if they didn't make changes soon.

She moved closer to her brother without alarming anyone. Leyna was using her gift of silent manipulation to weave her way through the crowd without allowing them to see or even notice her presence. Wringing her wrist, she stared at her brother with wide eyes and couldn't help but stop breathing for a second. Her breaths quickened and became panicked from pure terror because she had seen this before. It was so much worse than she had expected. Looking down at him, she saw his body quivering at the ends and heaving up and down continuously, but it was not from his heart beating; it was so much worse and gruesome — certainly terrifying in her opinion. The _Impetusque_ — Shock — was invading his body, twisting his vital organs, making his body tense up until his muscles would constrict and snap, causing him to vomit blood and other bodily fluids, and whitening his eyes until he would become blind. That vile disease would destroy him from the inside then devour him on the outside until he was nothing but an unidentifiable corpse. He was in the beginning stages, and she could barely watch him because he looked so damaged and broken so far. She couldn't even bare to think about what the disease would do if it killed him. The disease had been alive since the beginning of their existence, which was how they knew the disease lived and grew and infected others without care. It was alive and dangerous because once it infected one person and murdered them, it would climb out the victim's mouth, destroying what was left of them, and would jump to the nearest person until it eliminated everyone it met.

She blinked back tears and gingerly touched the side of her brother's face, which cracked slightly under her gentle touch. No matter how much she tried to stifle her tears, she couldn't stop them from flowing down her cheeks and causing her body to tremble with fear. Her brother was infected, and unless they found the cure, he would be dead by the start of next week. He couldn't die! He twitched under her touch, and she flinched back and recoiled at his sudden actions with burly eyes. Dieter wasn't supposed to move, but he was. He seemed as if he were conscious of what was happening, and she found that intriguing because the Impetusque was supposed to slowly destroy the victim's mind. Sniffling, she moved closer and didn't even notice that her gift had wavered and stopped from functioning properly. Leyna moved forward and screamed when he caught her arm and tightened his hold on it until she could feel his fingernails digging into her skin. Everything was silent, except for Dieter, who rasped and slowly glanced at her.

"Protect her from them," he whispered, staring at her with his unseeing eyes. She trembled but nodded and shuffled closer to Dieter. Her fingertips tried to touch his head so she could figure out what was wrong with him by using her gift, but he yelled and coughed what appeared like blood on her. Leyna peeked at him before looking down at herself with self-revulsion and surprise. He hadn't coughed up blood but a slimy onyx liquid that desperately clung onto her skin and tried to climb inside of her body. His body was thrown backwards by her guards, which caused her to scream wildly and thrash in her guard's hold. Ignoring the liquid that greedily touched her, she rushed forward and tried to get to her brother, who had fallen and was floating on top of his own waste.

"Leyna, stop!"

Involuntarily, she halted from running and trembled at the power her father had forced on her. She hung her head and wasn't surprised when her mother grabbed her and hurriedly ordered guards to accompany her to their private quarters. As they left, Leyna couldn't help but watch her brother's motionless body being forced onto the infirmary's platform and cleansed from his waste, which wasn't attacking anyone. She glanced down at herself and shuddered at the sensation that lingered on her skin; it was still trying to influence her, but she knew it wouldn't reach its goal because she was going to be scrubbed clean by her mother, who was an expert at that. After all, her mother had been alive when there had been an outbreak of this disease. Leyna couldn't help but wander how it was still alive when she knew her parents had killed the source of the disease years ago, but then again many events that had occurred in the past were happening again.

"Mother," she started as her mother dashed into their private quarters and started the preparation. Leyna glanced at the guards and was mildly surprised when she found female guards surrounding her — an event that hadn't happened since her incident. She swallowed the sudden lump that stubbornly clung to the back of her throat and rubbed her eyes, which were hurriedly flooding with tears; however, she halted and hardened herself so her mother wouldn't deny her. "Leah needs protection."

"Guards were assigned to her as soon as Dieter arrived at headquarters with the news," she responded evenly but worriedly. Creases appeared over her pallid forehead, causing wrinkles of concern to mar the corners of her emerald eyes. She swiped her fringe away from her eyes as she removed the liquid from Leyna's body, which convulsed lightly from the absence of that foreign fluid. Her mother was quite beautiful with her long ringlets, which were stained with caramel, jade eyes that were always bright and warm, soft facial features and creamy skin that always looked flawless. Leyna eyed the guards with suspicion even though she knew they would never reveal any information her mother and her shared; they had been her mother's personal guards ever since she has reigned with her father, so she knew they wouldn't say anything, but there a soft voice in her head telling her not to trust anyone anymore.

"I think I should reveal myself to Leah or at least protect her. Mother, if Dieter approached me and declared me as her protector, shouldn't I follow his wish?" she persuaded. Her mother's lip jutted slightly as she finished cleaning Leyna and concentrated on her daughter's wishes. She didn't want to approve because she didn't want Leyna to get hurt, but she also knew that Leah needed the protection Leyna could offer her. Her son had approached her daughter today because of Leah, and she knew that she should honor her son's last...she shook her head and willed herself not to cry. He would live.

"Leyna, please be careful. Your brother willed himself to tell you, and I honor his decision. Guards will be around you at all time even though they may not be visible at all times. Your father and I will investigate what happened with Dieter, but I can assure you he will be well by the end of the week. We will find the source and eliminate it before the disease spreads to his vital organs."

Leyna nodded and thanked her mother for her consideration. She sat and thought to herself before she would venture into the outside world. Leyna didn't know why but she had the sudden _urge the travel into the Shadow Realm_; she felt the desire and want building inside of her, tempting her to go inside the Shadow Realm for a few minutes, persuading her to go into the dark for once. She shivered violently as shudders slithered down her tense spine. Leyna was light but she had to remind herself of it several times before she could deny it without any doubt.

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><p>Jolting upwards from her platform, she silently cried to herself and gingerly touched her chest, which heaved erratically from the sudden fright she had received. Portly droplets of water stumbled down her cheeks before landing on her hands, which were swiftly gliding around her face so she could remove the sweat that clung to her skin. Her breaths turned panicked as she stared at herself in the dark, which suddenly terrified her beyond belief. She cowered against her headboard and brought her knees up to her chin so she could hide half her face. Her eyes widened at the noises the empty house made, but she counted to ten in her mind and tried to stifle her muffled whispers. Leah didn't feel safe in the dark anymore. Everything she had seen in her dreams had traumatized her, and she was sure she wouldn't ever be the same again. It wasn't just a nightmare; it was so much worse and terrifying than a nightmare could ever be because she was sure her mind couldn't invent a dream as horrid as that and as real as what she had seen.<p>

She didn't know why but she could suddenly hear everything clearly. Leah could hear her own hazardous breaths puffing in front of her face, her heart beating and thrashing against her chest, and someone walking closer and closer to her in the shadows. She screamed as the figure approached her and shushed her by grabbing her hand and prouncing on top of her. Leah stopped yelling once she felt the familar sense of being safe and secure again, but as she looked at the person, she was tempted to scream once more; however, she stopped and stared at the beautiful fifteen-year-old girl that was gazing at her expectantly — almost as if she knew Leah would recognize her. She beamed down at Leah and plopped herself beside her while flicking the lights on.

"Hello, Leah, I'm Leyna," she introduced, swiping her light locks away from her face, which seemed angelic and trust worthy. Leah frowned at the young girl and debated on whether she should warn her off, but she decided against it once Leah noticed her eyes, which were a strange combination of sterling and emerald.

"How do you know my name?" Leah inquired. Leyna blinked and pursed her lips from side-to-side before exhaling profoundly and wrapping her hands around her wrist in an instinctive manner.

"I know this may sound strange and alarming, but I knew everything about you because of my brother, who is your imprint and who you are slightly afraid of because you don't know what he's capable of. His name is Dieter Athanasios, and even though he's only seventeen, he holds the responsibility of becoming the next ruler of our species called the Infrignando — Chilling. I'm his only sister, and I won't be allowed to be the ruler but will still be as honored as my brother and as respected as him. He won't be capable to rule unless he gets better," she muttered under her breath, but Leah still heard her and her eyes widened. Her dream had happened! Leyna observed Leah's shocked state, and she instantly tensed and grabbed her hand. She could see Leah's wild thoughts revolving around her nightmare, which she brought forward and caught a glimpse of.

Her brother was walking down the hallway, muttering under his breath while tensing his body. He was thrown backwards by an unseen force before he was tempted to look at the ceiling. Before he could scream or even alert anyone, the Impetusque untangled itself from the shadows and jumped on top of him, creeping and crawling inside his mouth until it was inside his body. He fell to the ground and convulsed with silent shudders before stopping and looking up at the ceiling once more. Leyna tried to look at the ceiling from Leah's perspective, but Leah instantly pushed Leyna out of her mind and unconsciously forged barriers. Leyna panted and groaned at Leah's strength, but she crawled forward and grabbed Leah's hand once more.

"What was on the ceiling?" she demanded. "What did you see, Leah?"

Leah shook and shuddered and didn't say anything because she didn't have the courage to say it. She stared at the darkness that was starting to creep on her and was crawling toward the only source of light in the room — her lamp. Leyna's eyes followed her gaze, and her eyes widened at the darkness that attacked the only light source in the room and enveloped their bodies.

"Leah, what did you see?" she whispered once more. "It's important!"

"The shadows were chanting, '_Angel of the Light will be tainted with Darkness_.' I could hear a faint voice screaming from the shadows." Her voice trembled as Leyna's grip on her hand tightened.

"What does that mean?" she asked Leyna, who pulled her up to her feet and cowered against the back wall. The blinds on the windows were pulled down, the door was closed, and any source of light was destroyed. Leyna could feel her fear mixing in with Leah's, which created an intoxicating sensation inside her mind. She swallowed and faced Leah before deciding to tell her.

"In my culture, my name means Angel and my gift specializes on light. When we were born, our parents realized the kingdom had a balance because of my brother and I. He was the darkness of our kingdom while I was always the light. I can't—"

"She can't be tainted by darkness," a voice called from within the shadows. Leyna knew that voice.

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><p>Hello, everyone! Thanks for reading and for favoriting or alerting this story. I appreciate all the continuous support on this fan fiction. I really like this chapter and some things are open for interpretation like the ending of this chapter. I updated earlier than the last time, so that's an accomplishment, and I hope to update soon. Please read my other stories on here and Wattpad, which is DannyDeAngelus and my story is called <span>The Untold Story of Titania Cosmos<span>. There will be romance, but I needed to included this chapter because of the importance. I hope you all like it. Have a great day!


	6. Chapter 5: Darcy & Embry

Chapter 5: **Darcy & Embry**  
>Edited: December 8, 2012<p>

**Leyna's eyes grew larger with** pure terror, but she stifled her fright by raising her chin defiantly and rolling back her shoulders. Her eyes narrowed and glowered at the young male who stood in front of her with the _Populus Fusca_, who were carefully watching her with their empty eyes. She licked her lips as she stood in front of Leah and forced her backwards, so they would pay more attention to her than Leah. Adrian smirked down at her, but she barely paid him any attention; instead, she looked at the red-haired man who was a half-blood — half _Populus Fusca_ and half _Chilling_. Leyna felt like weeping at the sight of her beloved childhood friend, Darcy, because he had always supported her even when there was no hope. He had been her protector when they had been taken and placed in those awful camps that had changed her life forever. Now, as she scanned him, she noticed how much much he had changed; his eyes no longer held any emotion but hunger and a lust for blood, his hair was matted with grime along with his skin, which was layered with battle wounds. He wasn't the same person she knew and loved, and that nearly broke her heart. No one was safe from Adrian's grasp.

"What have you done?" she whispered evenly, successfully masking her emotions. Adrian chuckled darkly under his breath and patted Darcy's shoulders before stalking forward. He stopped when he was in arm's reach of Leyna, causing her heart to hammer abruptly in her chest. His eyes wandered toward Leah, and he grinned maliciously when she accidentally shivered and clutched her racing heart. He thrived on his victims' terror and absolutely loved it when they trembled in fear. Their fright filled his body with a familiar sensation, one he had felt ever since he was a small child. Feeling his victims' tremble and cower under him satisfied him but made him want more. He was constantly bothered by the desire to see them scream and quiver, cower and run in fear; he wanted to see their blood drawn and their lifeless eyes staring up at him.

"What do you mean, sweet Leyna?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow at her before touching the side of her face. She smacked his hand away but didn't move away, which amused him. His little Leyna was a fighter even after everything she had witnessed, but she wouldn't be for long. Leyna Athanasios was going to succumb to him and fall into the darkness. She wouldn't be light anymore because she was going to be tainted by the darkness — by him. Leyna was his to torture, his to play with until he got bored. She was destined for him even if she didn't know it yet.

"You took him." Her voice wavered and she instantly regretted it when his eyes dilated with fury and his body convulsed. Leyna felt for the traitor, and that wasn't acceptable. She wasn't allowed to feel for anyone but him; he owned her because he was master. Leyna didn't know her history, but he did and she was rightfully his.

"He decided to join, Leyna. Tell her, Darcy, about your betrayal," he demanded. Darcy took two steps forward before stopping and glaring down at her.

He was tall and well built with broad shoulders and burly muscles that strained under the pressure he was exerting on them. Blood-red locks stumbled down his forehead, tangled together and coated with dirt, slightly grazing the corners of his jade eyes. His skin was creamy but marred with wounds, scars, and grime from recent battles he had been in. She had always thought he was handsome, but as she looked at him now, she couldn't even see a semblance of his old self. He was ruthless and overwhelmed with power, which made him seem ugly and horrid in her eyes; she wanted the old him, but she knew she would never get him. Adrian had a way of persuading people to do his every bidding even when they knew it was wrong.

"I decided to join, Leyna. Your kingdom decides to feel the wrath of those who are neglected. I had no power in your kingdom, but now I do. I can finally relate to Adrian. He was right after all." He paused and opened his mouth to say something but stopped and returned to his original place. Darcy peered at her with profound loathing, and she wondered where she had gone wrong.

Swallowing her tears, she moved backwards and grabbed Leah's wrist. She had heard enough. Unfortunately, her movements grabbed Adrian's attention, causing him to snatch her by her hair and hurtle her onto the ground. Leah screeched when Leyna's head collided with the ground and dazed her for a second. She wanted to reach forward and help her, but the Populus Fusca held her back. Leyna thrashed against Adrian's hold, which tightened until she could no longer feel her body. She was sure his hands were going to be imprinted onto her skin, which revolted her. How could she be so weak!

Leyna kicked upwards and thrashed more violently than before, managing to get him off of her. She scrambled to her feet but was thrown to the wall by Adrian, who stalked leisurely toward her and gripped her neck. Her feet dangled and her heart raced as she peeked at him from behind her eyelashes. Tears threatened to run down her cheeks, but she swallowed them and tried to focus on breathing. She inhaled and exhaled but could barely think because he was rapidly tightening his grip. He said something she couldn't hear, and she knew she was finally losing herself. Adrian was forcing her body to shut down, but she wouldn't allow this. She sealed her eyes and focused on her body, making sure she healed herself and could see the light within herself. It was dim and barely there, but that was all she needed. If her brother had been awakened by his need to protect Leah, then he would be able to help her.

She summoned her mind link with her brother and continued to focus on the light inside of her. She couldn't think about anything but her brother and the light or else she wouldn't be able to do it. Leyna dug through his mind but couldn't find anything. When she thought he wouldn't be able to help her, she reached forward one last time and focused on the light.

"Please help, Dieter," she whispered.

Her heart pounded in her ears, and her lungs gasped for air as she ran low on her supply. She groaned as her eyesight blurred and her head started to hammer; she couldn't breath anymore or stand the pain that engulfed her entire body. As Leyna started to lose consciousness, she felt the light inside of her growing larger and engulfing her entire body before receding. Her light diminished but the darkness inside of her took its place and overwhelmed her; she wanted to scream and thrash, but she couldn't because she was defenseless. Her eyes snapped open and immediately sought the shadows, where she could see new and old faces from the Shadow Realm. They were gripping Leah and pulling her toward them, but in the midst of all the darkness, she could see a figure standing near Leah but behind the others. He was staring straight at her, but what struck her as odd were his eyes; they were ashen and alive, not empty.

"Dieter," she murmured under her breath. He inclined his head and peered into her eyes until she was blinded by darkness. She couldn't hear anything or even feel, but she knew they were safe.

Leyna gasped as her head hit the ground, which was damp and wild with overgrown plant life. Her eyes snapped open and wandered toward Leah, who was staring straight ahead. She didn't know what had happened, but she had felt her mate's warmth beside her for a moment, securing her and promising her safety. Her mouth ran dry the instant she had felt the darkness creeping on top of her, but she had realized it was Dieter; his presence soothed her and lulled her, and she was grateful for his help. If what Leyna had said was true, then she was willing to be with Dieter. He wasn't cruel or a heartless killer like Sam had made him seem, but he was a warrior. Her eyes immediately saw her pack mates practice fighting in the distance; however, they stopped and stared at her before growling. She looked beside her and noticed Leyna, who was carefully standing upright, forcing herself to show no pain.

Instinctively, she rose from her fetal position on the ground and gripped Leyna's wrist, making her peer up at her with her large eyes. Once again Leah was struck by Leyna's appearance because she seemed so innocent and angelic. She didn't seem threatening, but Leah knew she could be. Leah knew there was something inside of Leyna waiting to be unleashed — but at the right time. She was asleep in the inside, waiting for something to brighten the light she had inside of her, not knowing someone was going to unleash the rest of her gifts. Leah glanced around her pack, which was stalking carefully toward Leyna with Sam leading them.

His intense gaze amused Leyna instead of scaring her, making her want to giggle at the leader of the pack. He couldn't possibly be serious; his stance was wrong, his gaze wasn't intimidating, and his pack was far too young to know everything about fighting. A giggle escaped her lips, making Sam growl menacingly and tremble from anger. She stepped forward with Leah tentatively following her, trying to warn her of Sam's temper. He usually didn't get angry, but when he he was in a foul mood, he was quite frightening. Her eyes focused on Sam before bending his emotions, making his anger diminish.

"I'm sorry," she apologized as she stood in front of Sam. Leah stepped in front of her, shielding her from the dangers her pack imposed. She didn't want anything bad to happen to Leyna. "I shouldn't have laughed, but my thoughts were disorganized at the moment, especially because of the traumatic event that had just happened to Leah and I. Leah was not late because of choice but because we were caught in the path of danger."

"Danger!"

Instantly, Leah's head turned to the side, where she could see Embry quivering and struggling to control himself. Her eyes landed on his, and she could tell just by looking at him that he had imprinted on Leyna. She glanced at Leyna, who flinched and hid behind her, which caused her eyebrows to furrow. Why was she acting that way? Her actions seemed as if she were rejecting Embry instead of embracing him, and she had no excuse because they were both immortals.

As her eyes darted to Embry, she noticed he was no longer in his original spot but was instead next to Leyna, trying to comfort her. She grabbed Leyna and placed her behind her back, making Embry frown and look at her questioningly. At that moment, Leah noticed how quiet her pack was, how quiet everything seemed. There was absolutely no noise, but she barely paid that observation any attention. Leyna nearly whimpered when she noticed Embry's eyes met hers once more and seemed to draw her in. She couldn't lead him on because she was just going to cause him more trouble. Leyna was just a burden, not a blessing like he thought; she was jut going to destroy him.

"I can't," she whispered under her breath, but her voice carried on and reached everyone in the clearing. Embry stiffened in front of her and closed his eyes to stop the pain from showing. She had rejected him, but she needed to finish it by saying she didn't want him.

"I—I don't—"

Leah held her hand out and grabbed Leyna by her shoulders, forcing her chin up, making her eyes dart to Leah's. She whimpered as she met Leah's gaze, but she stopped because she didn't want to seem powerless. Leah noticed her eyes were flooded with unshed tears, and behind her eyes, she could see the pain she held inside of her. She could see a helpless person inside of her, wallowing in fear of the future, trying to stay brave and not break from the inside. In that instant, Leah realized Leyna didn't want to reject Embry; she was just afraid, but what was she afraid of?

"You shouldn't be afraid," Leah whispered inside her ears. Leyna gnawed on her bottom lip before glancing at Embry, who looked thoroughly defeated. His shoulders were slumped and his eyes expressed his pain. She couldn't stand looking at him anymore because it was tearing her inside.

"You don't want to hurt him," she noticed and Leyna shook her head. That was the last thing she wanted for Embry. She was just trying to protect him from her world. Those who weren't from her world couldn't survive unless their mates were strong and could show them the way, but she wasn't strong. She was weak and could barely protect herself.

As Leyna opened her mouth to give Embry her decision, she noticed it was eerily quiet. She looked around and remembered her mother's words: guards would be around her at all times. Garish screams erupted from the clearing as soon as she saw the first one appear. Immediately, her head snapped in Embry's direction, and she couldn't stop the terrified yell that escaped her lips. Embry was in danger.

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><p>Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading this and supporting me with this story. I really appreciate everything, especially the reviews. All of them make me smile when I read them. If there are any questions or comments, you can always review or message me. Please check out my other stories if anyone is interested. I have a Wattpad account called DannyDeAngelus, where I'm almost finished with my story called <span>The Untold Story of Titania Cosmos<span>. It's almost finished, so I'll be dedicating my time to fan fiction for a while. Have a great day! :)


	7. Chapter 6: Traitorous Love

Chapter 6: **Traitorous Love**  
>Edited: December 15, 2012<p>

**Nothing is more traitorous than**their heart, than the traitorous beats it hammers in their chest, than the love that springs from its depths.

The moment Embry was taken from her grasp — before she could even tell him she loved him and accepted him for who he was — her guards had wrongly accused and ambushed those in the clearing. Her noisy screams of panic hadn't affected them but driven them with want and hunger —for blood, for murder, for the profound liking to hurt those who wanted to harm their princess. They hadn't known, hadn't even stopped to understand, that she wasn't in trouble but contemplating the biggest decision in her life — one that could influence and change her forever. Tears stumbled down her cheeks as she tried and failed to command her guards, who had taken it under their wing to protect her against all costs. His eyes, hardened from disbelief and anger, were going to be imprinted inside her mind forever. They screamed deep loathing for the pain she had caused him within a few minutes of knowing him. Eyes full of confusion and fury told her she was hated by him — rejected even if she hadn't rejected him.

Agony ripped through her chest, causing her heart to thrash against her rib cage, making her groan at the loss she had just witnessed. Her fingertips twitched and moved to her head, which pounded and hammered violently. She opened her mouth to scream, to help and save her mate, but she couldn't. There was a twisted sensation tugging at her chest, twisting her vocal cords, causing her to chock on her own words. Leyna was helpless and stuck in the moment without being able to affect it in any way; however, the moment the leader of her personal guards appeared, she knew he meant business. He stepped in front of Embry and growled menacingly as he inspected his attire. Embry was half exposed, and although men in her culture were often times showing off their muscles, it wasn't acceptable for others, of whom they knew nothing of, to expose themselves in front of a lady. She hadn't even noticed or paid attention, but she knew they would list it as an offense.

Leyna couldn't hear anything over the roar of her heart and the pounding of her blood; she was lost in the moment, silently watching and wishing she could do anything to help, yet knowing she couldn't. Her head snapped in Leah's direction, and her frown lifted the minute she noticed she was being cared for by her guards. She was protected, and for a second, Leyna allowed herself to feel the comfort of knowing that at least she hadn't failed completely, that at least she wasn't as pathetic as her mind screamed at her.

A bloodcurdling bellow resounded in the clearing, and then everything was silent. There was an eerie silence, one that occurs after a tragic and life-changing matter has happened. She didn't want to turn and see with her own eyes the events that had unfolded because of her; however, Leyna hardened herself by swallowing the guilt induced lump that occupied her throat and whirled around. Instantly, her blood boiled and her tears halted. Her eyes narrowed and glowered at the person who was supposedly defending her; she growled and stalked forward, extending her legs as she sauntered. The silence extended and all that could be heard were the rumbles of her chest. Her entire body quivered violently, causing her guards to step back and stare in fright; she had never gotten angry before, but she had a reason: Embry was on the ground, a bite near his neck, his limbs nearly broken, with his eyes filled with pain. He wheezed and trembled as pain steadily overwhelmed his body.

"Poison," she rasped out, stalking forward and grasping the one who had inflicted pain on her mate. His eyes flashed with fright as she lifted him off his feet and threw him on the ground. Hurriedly, she loomed above him and placed her foot near his throat before pressing it down. He swallowed his terror, but he couldn't stop the shudders of fright that were caused by her intimidating presence. She hadn't harmed him drastically, but he knew she was trying to withhold her anger.

Leyna was afraid of becoming like the one who had tortured her when she was smaller; she was frightened of transfiguring into a horrid creature that was driven by the want to destroy and scare others. Licking her lips, she broke herself from the trance she was in and refused to look inside his eyes. Seeing fear flash inside his eyes had made her want to inflict more pain on him, which made her quiver from her malignant thoughts. The darkness was threatening to destroy her, but she wouldn't allow it to change her.

Leyna rushed forward and grabbed Embry's hand, making him twitch violently in her grasp. Her touch soothed him and lulled him into a peaceful state, making him stop convulsing and sigh out of relief. A hush fell over the crowd as they watched her murmur under her breath and touch the wound on his neck. The leader of the group instantly felt the sorrow she had felt when he had harmed her mate. He had indirectly placed his princess in danger by trying to murder her mate. She would have died mentally the instant she witnessed his death and then died physically. Leyna was vulnerable because of her mate, but she didn't seem to mind because she cradled his burly body in her hands and shook her head to remove all malignant thoughts from her head. Her breaths gradually became pacific once more, which lulled Embry's head to the side, indicating he was falling into a deep slumber. She hummed under her breath before peering up at the crowd that was stilled by her honest actions.

"I'm sorry," she whispered brokenly. "I apologize for my actions. I did not mean to harm any of you or betray you in any manner, but I seemed to forget my mother's departing words. My thoughts were clouded were fear and were suddenly overwhelmed with my interests, but that is no excuse. I—I'm sorry."

"Fear?" Nye inquired, raising an eyebrow as he stalked closer to Leyna. She nodded and quivered when she felt Embry's body give a great shudder and then stop. Her lips curled downwards with angst, causing tears to flood her eyes and making her choke on her sobs. Leyna should have consulted in her parents the instant the nightmares returned, but she had been frightened that if she spoke about her deadly dreams with anyone, they would come true and haunt her during the day instead of at night.

"The nightmares have started," she stated under her breath, but they were all able to hear it. A hush hovered above her personal guards, who hadn't thought the end was coming. There had been rumors of course, but they hadn't had reason to fret over the news. It hadn't dawned on them that the rumors could be the truth, but hearing the truth from their princess made the news even more horrific than before.

"We will consult with your parents immediately," Nye reasoned, grabbing her shoulders and steadying himself beside her. He eyed Embry and shook his head at the loss; he wouldn't die, but he would have to be monitored by their doctors. The poison could spread, but he knew Leyna was preventing it from spreading by concentrating on his figure.

"Guards, let go of the shape shifters. They haven't harmed our princess," Nye stated, making the pack halt from thrashing and eye Leyna with suspicion. Sam threw his guard to the ground and promptly sprinted toward Leyna until he was facing her. Her guards wanted to move forward to protect her, but with one look from Leyna, they staggered backwards and peered at the other shape shifters. If Sam dared to touch her, he would be murdered instantly.

"You have threatened my pack and my community," he stated angrily, glaring at her with fiery passion. She wanted to shake her head, but she knew it was true. Her very being attracted her enemies, and since her family had stationed themselves near La Push, Adrian was rallying up his comrades to capture her. "You have endangered everyone's lives and are a threat to La Push. You must leave immediately, and I will make sure you leave, or my pack will kill you."

She rose her chin defiantly and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth before nodding. Nye grabbed her hand and pulled her upwards, making sure she was slightly behind him. He would protect Leyna with his life; she had once helped him, and it was now his duty to protect her. Leyna gestured with her head at Embry and Leah, but Sam growled and stepped forward until he was staring down at her. She raised an eyebrow challengingly, but he shook his head, making his chest rumble with fury.

"You can't take them," he said, holding no pity for her.

"He is in danger and only we can help him. Embry is my mate—"

"From what I can remember, you rejected him," Sam interrupted rudely. A lump constricted her throat as she stopped herself from whimpering. Her shoulders slumped on their own accord, making her lips jut slightly. It had seemed like she had rejected him.

"I did not reject Embry. I was just confused," she whispered defeatedly, looking down at her soul mate with such sorrow that it pricked tears in Leah's eyes.

"You can't take them," he stated, turning his back on Leyna and motioning his pack to take charge. Seth rapidly ran toward Leyna and bent down hurriedly.

"Take them when I create a distraction. They both need your help," Seth murmured in her ears.

"Thank you," she whispered, clearly grateful. Her frown hurriedly transfigured into a dainty beam when she realized she would be able to help her mate and Leah. She caught Leah's eyes and connected herself to her mind. Leah could feel her presence inside her mind, but she barely paid it any attention.

Seth bent down to grab Embry when Sam glanced at him curiously, but then he lunged him in Nye's arms and rammed himself into Paul, who instinctively growled and pulled him into a fight. Sam started to yell as her guards grabbed Leah and Embry and pulled her aside. Nye's hands quickly gripped her waist and pulled her into her arms, making her close her eyes and shudder.

"We will find you and kill you," Sam bellowed, and that was all she could hear in her ears. She refused to open her eyes because she knew they were traveling in the Shadow Realm, which was where Nye had lived for the majority of his life. He was a Populous Fusca, but he wasn't like the rest of his kind. Nye seemed like a Chilling, but he was just blessed with the gift to appear human like them. His people looked like shadows and could form shapes, but they could never look like a human.

When she could no longer feel air slapping her face and that uncomfortable sensation at the pit of her stomach, she opened her eyes and stared at his nearly black irises. Her lips curled into a beam, and she embraced him firmly before letting go. She rushed to Embry's side and screamed for medical assistance. Nye licked his lips and shook his head, making his chocolate locks stumble across his eyes. Leyna would never know of his internal struggle for her, especially because she had found her mate.

Her lips landed on Embry's forehead, and he couldn't help but remember when she had once kissed him like that. Nye could still remember her worried gaze landing on his, her reassurances that he would be alright, of her gentle caresses, of the love she had given him. He would never forget that time because he knew she would never give him the affection he craved from her. She had a mate, who she loved to death, who she kissed and touched gingerly, who she knew would protect her. There was no need for him anymore, which made him shudder. He would have to enter the realm he had sworn he would never enter until it was right. It was the realm that had caused him pain, that had confused him and tortured him; it was the realm where he promised his father he would return when he was needed once more and his duty was complete — the Shadow Realm.

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><p>Thank you for supporting me with this story, and I hope you all enjoy it. I have finished my Wattpad story, <span>The Untold Story of Titania Cosmos<span>, so please check that out along with a prologue of a story called Angelique. I will spend more time with fan fiction because I finished, so expect more updates! I'll try to update by Thursday again. Thanks! Have a great day!


	8. Chapter 7: Realistic Dreams & Bonds

Chapter 7: **Realistic Dreams & Bonds**  
>Edited: December 23, 2012<p>

**Pain tore through Leah's chest,** making her heart accelerate and pound inside her ears. A scream of agony escaped her lips when she staggered to the ground, clutching her body with unnecessary force. Leah could hear Leyna gasp and rush forward with medical assistances, who had stopped treating Embry and were trying to calm her down. Her nails impaled her swarthy flesh, making blood compile beneath her throbbing body, which thrashed and refused to be touched by anyone. She bellowed when her body was thrown back and lucent light flashed in her eyes. Immediately, she closed her eyes and nearly screamed when her nightmares unfolded in front of her.

Figures stalked toward her, surrounding her body until she was in the center with her back pressed to the ground and her eyes alert with fright. Shivers racked her shoulders, and she glowered at the sole figure that loomed above her head with a broad smirk on his face. He snickered and allowed his eyes to wander toward the sky, where he could see the moon transforming into something larger: a full moon. His body drew energy from the moon, and he inhaled profoundly. He grinned, and Leah couldn't help but feel more terrified of him. He wasn't normal.

"Let me go," she growled.

"Never, my Leah," he murmured. "I worked too hard to get you, and I won't let you get away from me again. I was paid for this, but I've decided to reject their offer. With you, I can accomplish everything. They wanted a new possession, but they won't get it. You're mine."

He stepped on her wrist, relishing in the whimpers that escaped her lips. Closing his eyes, he focused on the structure of her hand and how it was crumbling under his touch.

Agony spread to her body when she lost herself in the nightmare and the pain. Darkness engulfed her mind, and she couldn't stop the yells that escaped her lips. Faintly, she could hear a deeper voice bellowing with her and Leyna's quiet whispers. Hands touched her head, but she could barely feel anything other than the pain. In the back of her head, a lighter essence ascended and attacked the darkness that threatened to kill her. She could hear Leyna's soft murmurs growing more defiant, and she could feel her hands resting on her eyelids and her head. Her yelps gradually decreased along with the pain that had ripped through her chest; the deep screams she had heard before also ceased to exist, but now that the pain was gone, she recognized that voice — Dieter.

Her body jolted abruptly once recognition struck her, making her mind more aware along with her body. Leah's sluggish movements alerted Leyna, who hastily moved forward and tried to pin her to the ground. She shook her head and refused to be pacified by anyone because Dieter needed her. Leah could feel his presence, and even though he had stopped screaming, she needed to see him. He could be in danger! Growling ferociously, she dodged Leyna's soothing touch and sprinted toward Dieter. She nearly groaned when she realized he was locked in one of the many rooms this manor seemed to have, but she didn't lose hope. A presence at the back of her head assured her she would find her love before they restrained her and demanded she rest. Her eyes wandered toward the room at the end of the hallway, and her body jolted when she realized he was there.

"Dieter!" she screamed once she entered the room.

Immediately, her eyes grew burly with astonishment, causing her to stagger to the ground and clutch her forearms so she wouldn't lose herself in the surprise. She crawled toward Dieter and gingerly touched the side of his face, which was lined with sweat. His hair was matted and messily thrown over his pallid eyelids, which hid his ashen eyes from her. She nearly cried out when she realized his skin was ghastly, his lips were white, and his chest lightly heaved up and down. Leah had to touch his chest in order to reassure herself that he really was alive. Tears flooded her eyes when she grasped his body and held him close to her. A sob racked her shoulders when she finally let her guard down and allowed herself to mourn her imprint.

"You found him," Leyna noticed quietly as she carefully ambled toward Leah and placed her hands on her shoulders. She nearly cried herself when she noticed the tears that hastily stumbled down Leah's cheeks, the pain that ripped through her chest, and the guilt that must occupy the back of her mind. Her hands quivered when she rested herself beside Leah and merely peered at her brother with distress. Wiping away the tears, Leah realized Leyna's forehead was creased with thought and her eyes darted back and forth repeatedly. She glanced behind her shoulders at the open door and feared the man who haunted her dreams was there, but he wasn't. Paranoia and fear would destroy her before the man even had a chance to.

"You have nightmares," Leyna stated carefully, watching Leah from the corner of her eyes while peeking at her brother. Her body itched to go back to Embry, but she couldn't because Leah needed her more than Embry at the moment. Embry was unconscious at the moment, so he wouldn't even notice her presence; he probably didn't even want to see her when he woke up. Her shoulders slumped at the mere thought, but she hardened herself and paid close attention to Leah, who fidgeted and embraced Dieter once more. After a few seconds of silence, she nodded and fearfully glanced around the room. A heavy weight settled over Leyna's shoulders when she realized Leah was acting much like her when she had nightmares. Were they the same?

"I usually dream about a man who draws power from the moon. His body shifts and he grows darker as it grows, but he does not seem like a werewolf. He is much more darker and powerful, and he enjoys bringing me pain. I have never met him yet he knows my name and everything about me. Every dream that I have, it seems to bring me pain, and sometimes" -she shuddered and held Dieter closer for protection- "I feel like they're real. They're lifelike and I swear I am living them. It's hard to know the difference between dream and reality."

"I have similar dreams," she murmured under her breath, "but I'm sure my brother has the same dreams as you. You both screamed at the same time, but he's not supposed to scream. I'm not even sure how he's supposed to act, but I'm sure this was strange. We'll know everything once my parents return from their journey with information."

"What do you mean?" Leah questioned, clearly worried. Leyna's eyes flashed with pity as she watched Leah, who trembled from fright. She grabbed Leah's hands and leaned forward slightly so she was eye level to Leah.

"When my brother came from talking with Nye, he didn't notice danger was following him. He must have felt it, but his senses were clouded by rage. He could not think properly, but when he finally noticed, he struggled against the effects but was soon infected by the Impetusque — Shock. It acts like a disease, but it is truly worse than that. It lives inside his body, and once it has killed him, it will climb out of him, destroy his body, and infect others by climbing down their throats."

"He is infected," Leah murmured softly, trying to ignore the truth. Her imprint was dying, and the realization finally slapped her in the face. She felt numb as she peered at his chest, which gave a great heave and stopped but continued to beat. Her hands touched the side of his face, which was frigid and still sweaty, and she gave an involuntarily moan at the loss.

"Is there a cure?" she asked.

"My parents are trying to look for a cure. They left once they knew he was infected because they needed to look for a cure. When we had an epidemic of the Shock in our kingdom, we would place them inside medical wings and try to physically remove the Shock from their bodies. My mom has a gift with healing, but sometimes the Shock was too strong. The Shock is a spiteful disease, and it would try to kill the victim as it slowly died. Many were lost but my parents were able to destroy it at last," she recalled faintly, trying to forget the eyes of the victims as they stared up at them with recognition. They knew they would die, but that didn't stop the agony that infected her parents after each killing. That didn't stop the tears that fell, the whitened lips that tried to speak but couldn't, and the screams that came from their families' lips.

"How long does he have if they can't find a cure?"

"He has five days," Leyna said fearfully.

Silence deafened her ears when she realized this was it. This was how everything ended in her life. She had finally been given the option to love, but she couldn't because her imprint was on the verge of death. Fate was cruel and twisted, but it had always been that way for her. Leah Clearwater could never love nor be loved or else her love was brutally taken in the worst forms possible.

"Leah, my brother is not acting normally. I am not an expert, but from what my parents have told me in the past, I realize that he is not acting properly. My parents were confused when they noticed that he talked to me because the victims of the Shock are not allowed to. The Shock twists their vocal cords, blinds them, and destroys their body from the inside. They are supposed to be paralyzed, but my brother is not fully paralyzed. He seems like he is, but I do not believe he is.

"I have a theory, which may or may not be true, but I have to tell you. When Adrian was in your room and was trying to capture us, I saw his shadow near you. He looked like a Populus Fusca, but his eyes told me he wasn't. I could feel his presence inside my head, which resembles the mind link we have, and he helped us escape. Without his help, we wouldn't be here today. I believe that his body and his spirit are detached from each other. His body is being killed, but he somehow managed to save his spirit, which may be roaming our world. His spirit took the form of a shadow, so I believe his spirit must be in the Shadow Realm," she explained.

"How is that possible?" Leah inquired. Hope erupted from her chest, but she didn't allow herself to express it just in case Leyna's theory wasn't true. She couldn't stand the pain if she knew her mate really wasn't alive.

"In our species, there are a select few that are gifted with this throughout our history. My brother seems to be one of those extraordinary immortals who has been gifted with this trait. He can detach his spirit and his soul, but with this comes a price: he can lose himself. The loss of his spirit inside his body can kill him faster because they both need each other to survive. In order to survive on his own, he needs to reside in a place where he knows he will be stronger. The Shadow Realm satisfies his natural born gifts, which is darkness, and he is able to survive longer. I suspect he is allowed to travel back and forth between realms, but I also believe this tires him and he must rest. He might even be allowed to visit his body and reside in it, which would explain how he contacted me before," Leyna stated cautiously as she stopped from pacing and swiped away her hair from her eyes, which reflected the turmoil of emotions that raged inside her body. Leah nodded and couldn't help but feel hope in Dieter. He would live and she would make sure he did.

"I just hope he doesn't rest in the Shadow Realm for long," Leyna murmured to herself, but Leah caught her. Her eyebrows knitted together as she leaned forward and grabbed Leyna's hand, making her halt and stare at her curiously.

"Why?"

"My brother has a strong alliance with the Populus Fusca, but since many of them have turned, I do not think he is safe there. They might purposefully make him lose himself and never come back to his body," Leyna spoke while clenching her fists and gritting her teeth together.

"What can we do?" Leah inquired, holding Dieter's body closer to her, making Leyna sigh abruptly at the love she shared with her brother.

"We can go into the Shadow Realm, but it's too dangerous. They do not like me because I'm the complete opposite of them. As long as my brother is not conscious or as long as the king of the Populus Fusca does not do anything, we are in danger unless—"

"Princess Leyna, I am sorry to interrupt but your mate has awaken," Carabella, her personal nurse, interrupted. Leyna's back stiffened and her muscles tensed at the news, but she exhaled and nodded even though her nerves were jumbled at the moment. She smiled daintily when she realized he was fine, but worry blinded her from seeing him. What if he did not want to see her?

"Thank you, Carabella," she said faintly before motioning toward Leah. "Carabella, this is Leah. She is my brother's mate. Leah, this is Carabella. She has been my nurse ever since birth."

Carabella rushed forward and embraced Leah, who nearly staggered back from the force the nurse was exerting on her. She clutched her tightly and couldn't help but feel the warmth Carabella radiated from her natural kindness. A smile briefly lifted the corners of her lips, making the woman, who barely seemed older than her, grin brilliantly.

"I am pleased to meet you, Leah. I am glad Dieter has finally met his mate. If you will excuse me, I must take care of your mother's tasks," she said before dashing out of the room. Leah's eyebrows rose when she realized how quick the woman was, but she quickly stopped when she saw the defeated gleam in Leyna's eyes. Leah lifted her chin a bit and questioned her with her gaze.

"Do you think Embry will be angry if I visit him?" Leah's eyebrows rose on their own accord, and she gripped Leyna's shoulders with more strength than she wished.

"He would never be angry. The incident at the clearing was a misunderstanding, and I'm sure he will know that," she stated knowingly, effectively reassuring Leyna. Doubt threatened to overwhelm her, but she quickly shook her head and wandered away from Leah before hesitating. She glanced at her brother and knew she had to do something before it was too late.

"My brother's spirit must be inside his body in case the cure is found. My parents are returning tomorrow with information, which hopefully obtains the cure. Tonight, I will find his spirit, but I need help from Nye. He is part Populus Fusca, and he can help me enter."

"I want to help," Leah said as she placed her chin on top of her bent knees. Leyna wanted to decline, but she knew she had to. Leah would just find another way to find Dieter, and Leyna couldn't let Leah get hurt.

Leyna nodded and excused herself as she wandered toward Embry's room. She tried to ignore the doubt that lingered at the pit of her stomach, so she entered before she could doubt herself any longer. Swiping her fringe from her eyes, she watched him as his head snapped in her direction and his gaze held hers. A small smile graced her lips as she involuntarily rushed forward and embraced him before he could say anything. When he didn't respond, she inhaled profoundly and tried to remove herself from him, but she couldn't. Her eyes widened and her breaths transfigured into pants when she realized he was holding her. He didn't resent her even though she had nearly killed him. Pulling back, she eyed him intently and smiled when he pulled her into his chest.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, thinking about the emotional and physical pain she had caused him.

"You have no reason to apologize. It was a misunderstanding," he said gruffly before clearing his throat.

"My name is Leyna," she uttered.

"My name is—"

"Embry," she said, and even though he was shocked, he didn't say anything. He just held her in his arms and tried to learn everything about her. She was the princess of the Chilling, and her older brother was ill with the Shock. Her parents were looking for a cure, and Leah was Embry's mate. He wanted to know why she hesitated on her past, but before he could say anything, he was reminded that in her world right now chaos was threatening to destroy them.

"Leyna!" Nye screeched as he entered the room. Embry growled when he grabbed Leyna from him and pulled her away from him. "Your brother is in trouble!"

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><p>Hello! I know I updated really late, but I honestly did not know where this chapter was going. I tried to write this week, but I couldn't because I did not know how to start the chapter; however, I finished it today and I'm glad with how it went. I will update this week because I've already started to write chapter eight, which is full of twists! Thanks for reading and supporting! Also, thanks to everyone who reads and reviews. It makes my day! I also made a new cover! Have a great day!<p> 


	9. Chapter 8: Finally Found

Chapter 8: **Finally Found**

Edited: December 26, 2012

**Screams of astonishment resounded** garishly in her ears, causing her to sprint rapidly toward her brother's room, which had been locked and was being guarded by his personal guards. Immediately, they opened the door and bowed when they saw her enter. She ignored their presence once she was inside his room and allowed her eyes to wander toward his platform, where she could see his body convulsing from the shudders that racked his shoulders. Carabella pinned him to the platform along with Nye, who had taken Leah's place. Leah instinctively attached herself to Dieter's body and whispered somthing Leyna couldn't hear in his ears. Her eyes were trained on her brother, whose whitened lips moved repeatedly, whose hands attacked whoever touched him, and whose eyes snapped open. His ashen eyes stared straight at Leah before he screamed and latched himself onto her, making her yelp as his figure tensed on her.

"What's wrong?" she screamed fearfully, trying to place him back onto the platform. His grip on her waist tightened until she could feel the imprint of his hands on her skin, tarnishing her swarthy skin and tainting her with the troubles that plagued his mind. He bellowed his anguish when he touched her face, which made her stagger back and clutch herself.

Leyna dashed forward and tried to pin her brother to the platform, but he dodged her touch and grabbed her. Dieter pulled her closer to him, and she nearly whimpered out of fright when she saw his nearly lifeless eyes staring at her. She moved her hand in front of his eyes and yelped when she realized his eyes didn't follow her hands; they stared straight ahead, unseeing and unmoving. The Shock was progressing faster than she had thought. Nye cautiously stalked toward them, making sure his footsteps were silent in the quiet room, where only their hasty breaths and pounding hearts could be heard; however, he stopped when he saw Leyna shake her head and gesture toward Dieter with her head.

"Do not leave," he murmured with all his strength. "Do not leave the manor and the headquarters. Go home if you must, but do not leave."

"Why?" Leyna inquired, raising an eyebrow at his statement, which confused her more than she liked. Her voice trembled and was barely heard over her roaring heartbeat, but apparently he had heard her. His head turned in his direction, causing her heart to thrash in her chest, which heaved up and down continuously. She trembled violently when his eyes gazed at her and his eyebrows furrowed at the loss of seeing her sterling eyes watching him with concern, yet he managed to focus on her once more.

"There is danger beyond these walls," he stated knowingly with a little quake. Her eyes widened when she realized what he said. His spirit was trapped in the Shadow Realm, but he was in danger there. She could see the amount of power it took him to speak, so he must be rested; however, she could tell just by his odd movements that her brother's spirit was in danger.

"It is the Populus Fusca," Leah whispered quietly, staring up at her imprint with a look that saddened Leyna. Leah was suffering all because of the immortals that wanted her family's power. Power could drive the sanest men with insanity, could drive the most conservative to do something wild, and could drive anyone with the want to hurt. Dieter did not say anything, and she feared her brother might be losing himself. He did not say anything as he faced Leah, who traced the side of his face, making him lean toward her touch and moan at the loss of his lover. Leah whimpered when she noticed his body stumbled back and his eyelids fluttered minutely; he was detaching himself once more.

"Do not go to Shadow Realm!" he exclaimed as his body shuddered rapidly and his eyes closed involuntarily. Leyna hurriedly touched his head before the connection was lost. She transferred her mind into his, and Leyna screeched when she felt the darkness invading her eyesight. Bellows escaped her mouth once she saw the Populus Fusca dragging her away from her mind, which caused her to jump our of her brother's head. She opened her eyes and found herself being held upright by Nye, who had snaked his arms around her waist when she fell with her brother.

"The Populus Fusca are behind this. They are keeping his spirit further away from his body, but he seemed to have found his way. I travelled inside his mind" -she swallowed the lump that constricted her throat and tried to ignore the shivers of fright that climbed down her spine- "and I could feel them dragging me away from him. His spirit and mind must be connected to the traitors in the Shadow Realm, and if we do not act quickly, he will be lost. He will die from the loss of spirit, so before that happens, I must travel into the Shadow Realm," she finished, glancing at everyone in the room with determination.

"Your brother has ordered against it," Nye stated, knowing that Dieter would never forgive him if he allowed his sister to travel into the realm that she feared the most. Knowing his best friend was dying brought a lump to his throat, but knowing that his princess wanted to travel into that world made him want to hold her back. She would not survive in an environment as dark as his; she was the light along with Leah, who he knew wanted to rescue her dying mate.

"I know but I must. My parents will be here tomorrow, but that is too late. My brother needs help now, not tomorrow. His life is at stake," she explained, making Carabella wipe away her tears with the back of her hand. Carabella watched them from the corner of her eyes as she tried to stabilize Dieter's body, which no longer quivered but was on the verge of death. She peeked at Leah, who clung to his body and placed a tender kiss to his forehead; she noticed the hope that spread around the room, and Carabella couldn't help but feel a bit lighter than before. Dieter must live and she was sure his sister and his mate would do anything to save him. They would not allow their loved one to die without a fight.

"Your brother has the gift to detach himself?" Nye questioned, lifting his eyebrows and glancing back at his best friend. She nodded and ignored his inquiring gaze as she lifted the window's curtain and watched her surroundings. She could barely see anything over the overgrowth, but from the distance, she could see enraged shadows silently slinking into the darkness of the night.

"My brother has the gift," she started, "and the Populus Fusca must have discovered he was roaming their lands without a body. They must want his spirit to tarnish it and mold him into one of them, but we cannot allow that to happen. He must return to his body before the loss is too much. The Populus Fusca are waiting outside for one of us to fall into their traps, for one of us to fall into their abyss, where they will take us and make us into the vile creatures they have been influenced to become. I understand the hesitation you must feel Nye, for you are the prince of the Populus Fusca, but I truly do need your help. I need you to bring me into the Shadow Realm and leave me there. I can find my brother on my own."

"I will help because Dieter needs me. I must help my mate," Leah uttered as she placed her hands on his chest to make sure his heart was still beating. "I cannot survive without Dieter. If Fate has given me another chance at love, I will accept everything that goes along with it, including the complications."

"I will help," Nye said, trying to ignore Leyna's accusing thoughts. "I have always helped despite what my people do, and today is no exception."

"I did not mean-"

"It's fine," he interrupted, tousling his messy locks. He tried to ignore the sinking sensation that had slipped inside his stomach, but he simply couldn't. Nye had briefly visited the Shadow Realm becase of his fear of being found out, and now he had to stay there for a while in search for his friend. The Populus Fusca would have no mercy on him even though he was the prince. They would not value his life if he was protecting two children that belonged to the light, which was their natural born enemy.

"Carabella, please take care of Dieter. I understand there isn't much to do, but please keep an eye on him. He's everything to me," Leah pleaded with Carabella, who nodded obediently and embraced each of them. Her arms lingered on Leyna, and she nearly tore up when she realized this seemed an awful lot like a goodbye.

"The guards must be on high alert to protect the manor, to secure the entrances and exits, and to keep the lights shining. We must conduct our investigation much faster than before to see who brought in the Shock. The guards will be alerted of our departure right after we leave but not before. They will surely want to command more people on their lands to alert them," Nye instructed Carabella. She nodded and paced around the room, glancing at each of them with terror. They must come back safely or else she would never forgive herself.

"Carabella, I know we have asked for much, but you are the only person that I trust in this manor. I will visit Embry before leaving, but please make sure he is fine. Tell him any lies, but do not tell him the truth. He knows a lot more than before, so he will know this is a dangerous task. Embry would try to save me against all odds, and I do not want him to do anything but heal. Please, Carabella," she pleaded, clearly grateful when Carabella nodded and dutifully began to do their instructions.

"We must get supplies," Leah recommended, raising an eyebrow in question. Leyna nodded and grabbed Leah's hand as they sauntered out of the room. Nye walked toward the headquarters so he could conduct some orders and grab the weapons he needed. Leah watched Leyna enter Embry's room and kiss his forehead while caressing his cheek; she smiled faintly when she watched Embry lean into Leyna's touch. Hopefully, they would all get to be with their love after this chaos.

Leyna dutifully walked away from Embry with medical supplies in her hands. She grabbed a bag from one of the rooms and stuffed them inside without caring for the extra attention they needed. Leah walked beside Leyna once they entered a room she hadn't been in before. Her stomach nearly rumbled when she realized it was the kitchen. The delicious scents flowed inside her nose, making her groan and clutch her stomach with embarrassment.

"I am truly sorry, Leah. We should eat before leaving," she stated, giving her a timid look as she ducked and grabbed the pans from the oven. She opened the containers and placed all kinds of food on her plate. Leah devoured it all without realizing she was barely tasting anything. She was too hungry for manners at the moment, which seemed to sit well with Leyna, who continued to eat and pack food into the bag.

"How does everything fit?" Leah questioned, surprised that a small bag could fit that many supplies.

"They expand," Leyna said simply, brushing off the food that might have landed on her. Once they were finished eating, they met Nye outside the kitchen. He ignored the smells that came from the kitchen and hastily guided them toward the basement. The stairs creaked as they climbed down, making Leah clutch the railing but stop when she realized the railing wobbled lightly.

"At the moment, this is the only dark place. The guards have specific instructions to light this place up in a few minutes but stop when they feel our presence. I left a note explaining, and Carabella will also tell them," Nye uttered and Leyna nodded thankfully. Leah noticed how his eyes lingered on Leyna, watching her as she peeked at the basement with mild interest, peering at her as she twitched lightly from her fear, and clutching her close so she was protected. She noticed the oblivious gleam in Leyna's eyes, and she knew Nye must be hurting in the inside. His heart must be gradually breaking because he knew she would never love him. It was much like her situation when Sam had broken up with her, and Leah was glad she was no longer hooked to Sam.

"Hold onto me," Nye instructed. Leah clutched his hand with unnecesary strength because of her fear while Leyna trembled as she grabbed his arm. Leyna's fear brought a sense of confusion into Leah's mind because Leyna seemed like she did not fear anyone other than Adrian. What was so wrong about the Shadow Realm? What did she fear?

Without any warning, Nye burst into a run and collided with the shadows on the wall, which made her hold her lips together so she wouldn't scream. Air slapped her face, and she held onto Nye so she wouldn't slip into the black abyss that was the Shadow Realm. Closing her eyes helped her feel less terrified of the dark void; however, when her body jolted when she finally reached the ground, she sighed and knew this was it. She had to find her lover's spirit or else he would die.

Breathing in and out profusely, she swore her heart nearly skipped a beat out of astonishment because everything was dark. Crimson streaks layered the skies, which were further marred by ominous clouds that rolled further and further away from them. Skinny trees with broken branches were spread out around the entire land, which seemed barely inhabited —almost dead but still alive at the same time. She could feel their presence, but she couldn't see them. Worrying, she travelled close to Nye and watched him stare at his kingdom with sorrow.

"It's nearly destroyed," he murmured softly under his breath. "Chaos reigns in my kingdom, and my father has done nothing to stop them."

"Why did you leave?" Leah questioned as she looked up at him. He frowned and Leyna fidgeted beside him, almost as if she regretted something.

"I was taken from my home eleven years ago from immortals who trained children to become stronger and rebel against their species. I found Leyna and she brought me back home, but I knew I had to repay her back. At first it was just a duty to her family, but afterwards I couldn't resist staying. My home was with them, and I've been serving them for years now. My father agreed at the time, but he soon stopped contacting me. I do not know what is wrong with my kingdom anymore," he stated and Leah nodded in understanding. Nye seemed to have a difficult life as well as Leyna, who she realized must have suffered in her childhood. She never spoke about it, and she seemed to fear her past.

Silence engulfed them as they walked deeper into the overgrowth, where she could hear whispers floating around them. Her eyes widened and she checked behind her shoulders to reassure herself that nothing was there; however, knowing there wasn't anything there alarmed her more than relieving her. She grasped Leyna's hand and steered her away from the overgrowth, where she could hear more defiant murmurs revolving. Swiping the sweat from her brow, she grabbed Nye's hand and gestured with her eyes at the unruly bushes that trembled violently. Hearing the malicious mutters made Leah more aware of everything around her. She could hear nearly inaudible footsteps meandering closer to them, the panicked breaths that billowed from someone's nose, and the struggles. Her eyes grew burly with recognition, and she ambled forward, trying to dodge Leyna's warning touch.

"It is not safe," he whispered under his breath, pacifying her by pulling her back and stepping forward. "I will check."

Gnawing on her bottom lip, she realized Leyna had stopped pacing and was worriedly glancing in Nye's direction. He was paralyzed from surprise, but his feet seemed to move on their own accord. Tousling his hair, he meandered forward and disappeared in the overgrowth, making them twitch with anticipation. What if he didn't come back? Leah didn't allow herself to think of that possibility because they would not escape this realm alive.

Leyna turned around and grabbed Leah, who wrung her wrist around her hand and raised her chin defiantly. Hands were wrapped around her mouth, and she bellowed when she realized this was it. Her eyes wandered toward Leyna, who nodded and ordered her to turn around. They whirled around and crouched warningly, but they stopped when they realized it was Nye. His eyes widened but he ignored their actions and gestured toward the overgrowth. His nod confirmed their suspicions: Dieter's spirit was being held there.

"The Populus Fusca are dragging him away, and if we want his spirit, we will have to act quickly. Leyna, you must act on your gift of light. Leah, if you can, try to do the same or try to dodge their attacks. Do not let them touch you," Nye instructed as he moved into the overgrowth once more.

Rage flittered across her eyes once she caught a glimpse of the Populus Fusca dragging her imprint away. She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth when she noticed they were plotting together and murmuring under their breath. There were five of them, but she knew they could take them. Adrenaline pumped through her veins when Nye nodded his confirmation. Instinctively, she sprinted toward them and hurtled them away from Dieter. Leah could see Leyna from the corner of her eyes trying to summon the light from her body. Nye grasped Dieter's spirit and was faintly surprised when he realized Dieter was sleeping. His forehead creased when he remembered there were only a select few that had the gift to sleep a spirit; his father had been gifted with that trait. Nye's gaze flittered to the shadows, and his breaths nearly ceased when the shadows transfigured into human forms. His heart continued to accelerate when he noticed the familiar chocolate eyes, the warmth, the same dark hair, and ageless face. It was his father!

"Stop!" he ordered and he could faintly hear Leah meander toward Leyna and whisper in her ears. He could no longer see the lucent light, but he could see those eyes staring straight at him with surprise and recognition.

"Son?" his father questioned before rushing forward and embracing the son he had lost contact with.

* * *

><p>Hello! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I have the next two chapters already written, so expect those soon! Also, I just realized this story might be longer than I expected, like twenty chapters or a bit more. Thanks for everything! Have a great day!<p> 


	10. Chapter 9: Essence, Light & A Cure

Chapter 9: **Essence, Light & A Cure**  
>Edited: December 29, 2012<p>

**A beam graced Leah's lips **when Nye's father rushed forward and hugged the son he hadn't seen for years; however, her smile waned when she realized Dieter was still in trouble. She bent down and ignored the inquiring stares from the men who accompanied Nye's father. Her fingertips gently glided over his closed eyelids, over the dark tendrils that were emitted from his body, and over his frigid body, which twitched from the warmth that was produced from her fingertips. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, which were chapped and damaged from all the nervous gnawing she had done; she glanced at Nye and was faintly surprised to see him trying to contain his tears. His father's broad shoulders racked with short tremors before he tried to stifle them and peer up at his son, who he noticed had turned into a brilliant young man. His son was finally a man in their culture — worthy of becoming the king and rectifying the problems in his kingdom. King Emerson eyed Leyna with recognition before staring at Leah with a slight grimace. He could already feel the tragedy in the air; it was tangible and it stuck to their bodies like a second skin.

"Nye, you have returned with company," King Emerson said with a slight waver in his voice. "I am King Emerson, the protector of the Populus Fusca."

"I am Leyna Athanasios," she introduced before peeking at Leah, who stepped forward and inspected Nye's father.

"I am Leah Clearwater."

King Emerson stared at the young women with recognition, but he didn't dare say anything for fear of bringing doubt into their minds. Fear and doubt were two powerful beings for immortals, for each blinded their eyes from the truth, weakened their strong bodies, and brought them a sense of hopelessness; it destroyed their frail minds and poisoned them, bringing them into a dark abyss, where they would be devoured by their enemies. His lips twitched with displeasure, but he stifled his clear distaste by glancing at Nye, who stared solely at Leyna. His over protectiveness made him analyze the young girl, who defiantly raised her chin, showing no indication of fear but respect. King Emerson immediately understood, by the look in his son's eyes, that he loved her even though she did not share his affections. Leyna must have a mate, and judging from the way Leah peeked at Dieter with distress, King Emerson knew they shared a bond.

"Father, you stopped contacting me a long time ago, but yet you seem to accept me now. What did I do to receive silence from you?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow almost angrily because of his fear of rejection.

Frowning, King Emerson turned on his heels and distantly looked at his kingdom, which was torn apart, before glancing at the skies that were marred with the blood of innocent people. His fingertips twitched from the agony that ripped through his chest, from the blood that metaphorically tainted his flesh, and from the nerves that spread to his toes. Everything had gone wrong in a matter of years. His perfect kingdom ceased to exist after the rebellion had started, but it had started when his son had been taken. When he returned, the turmoil inside the kingdom had seemed to dissolve, but then Nye had left to complete his duties. His loss presence had brought a cloud of depression into his mind, blinding him from seeing the rebels that had tormented their own people. As a king, he had failed to see the tragedy and the destruction. He was not a true king, for a ruler would have mended and fortified his forces.

"After you left, son, I was not right. Your mother wept for you daily, and I was not able to see the rebellion that was starting. I had heard rumors, but the doubt and sadness blinded me from seeing the truth. When you left, the borders between the realms were left open and unprotected. It was your speciality, and I never thought you would leave for long, so I hired a man who promised to help for the time being. He was not of our kind, but I accepted him into our world. His name was Adrian" -he heard a gasp escape from Leyna's lips, and he shook his head at his lack of insight- "and he worked for months. In those months, I realized the rebellions became larger in size and more destruction occurred. I tried to take care of the chaos, but I still wrote to you, son. It was after I realized my letters were traced and information was gathered on the whereabouts of my heir did I actually stop writing. The letters brought danger, and I could not risk your life, son. I apologize for not saying goodbye, but the kingdom is dying, and if it dies, I must die with it. I am the heart of the kingdom," he explained, making a hush fall over their nearly stilled forms.

"I understand," Nye uttered, grimacing slightly at the news. His kingdom was dying, and it was all because of Adrian. If he ever saw that man again, he would take his revenge.

"Where did you find my brother?" Leyna spoke up as she stepped forward and lightly grazed her brother's face, which was layered with dark tendrils. His body gradually took the form of a shadow, making him look like a resident of the Shadow Realm.

"I was alerted by the guardians of the borders. They found him being pulled by the rebels, so they called me and I was able to defeat them," he added carefully. "I was warned there was a powerful being traveling the realms without a clear form, so I knew I had to investigate. I knew he was a Chilling from the power that radiated from his body, but I did not know he was a royal. I am glad my men and I were able to find him in time. He will be in a deep sleep for a few more hours, which will allow his true form to heal. If I may ask, what happened to your brother? Detaching ones spirit and body is not a common gift."

"The Shock invaded his body," Leyna stated and King Emerson shook his head before leaning forward. His forehead ceased with thought as he inspected Dieter's ragged appearance.

"Do you know the cure?" he asked suddenly. She shook her head mournfully and turned to Leah, who clasped her hands around Dieter's wrist and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. King Emerson's eyes flashed with excitement before it receded and panic replaced the hope he had. His head snapped behind them before he nodded at his guards and Nye.

"They are coming," he stated knowingly. "Leyna's light has attracted them."

"Grab onto me," King Emerson uttered seriously, making his entire demeanor shift drastically. Warmth no longer lingered in his eyes, and steel was quick to take its place. No longer did his emotions show through his eyes because in its place was a king with much experience — a guardian of his people with the experience of a war god. His guards shifted into shadows, hovering around their leader protectively while Dieter was hung over their shoulders. The king hastily transfigured into his dark form before clutching their wrists with much strength, which made them realize this was serious. Chaos reigned in this realm, and if they were found out by the rebels, they would be murdered.

Fearfully, Leah peered behind her, and she nearly shrieked when she realized the shadows were speedily overtaking the overgrowth and were hurtling themselves at them. She held her screams of panic by biting her lips and refusing to give herself up to the hopelessness that invaded her. Leah would not give in to the darkness. Involuntarily, she watched Leyna mutter under her breath and close her eyes. Her body gave a great shudder before a beam of light erupted from her fingertips. She was careful to shine the light behind her, so she wouldn't harm the shadows that helped them. Leah sighed and desperately wished she could be like Leyna: fearless, graceful, and defiant despite knowing she could be harmed. On the other hand, Leah could not do anything; she couldn't fight against the Populus Fusca because she was too weak, and Leah wasn't light. Everyone said she was light, but she truly wasn't. If she was, she would have helped already.

Jolting up, she glanced at the shadows that speedily floated away from their enemies and toward a forest. She could feel King Emerson's grip tightening over her waist as he ducked and then shot up. Nausea ripples through her body, but she contained it by peering at Leyna, who struggled with her light. It grew dim and less powerful with every passing minute; the violent glow that had attacked the Populus Fusca no longer pulsated as much as before.

"Leah, my light is fading," she whispered ruefully, glaring at herself with self hatred. Her eyes wandered toward Leah, whose face fell from the surprise. "There is too much darkness. My light is diminishing from the darkness and the hopelessness. I need more help."

Leah knew that last statement was directed solely on her, but she didn't know if she could do it. She did not contain the light the Chilling worshipped; she was not powerful nor graceful nor defiant because she was just Leah. Average and mediocre, she cursed.

"You can do it, Leah! Just hope and believe in the light. Close your eyes and bring it out. Inside of your mind, there should be a light. It will grow if your courage grows. Please, believe," she pleaded softly, giving a silent yelp when her light diminished. Darkness began creeping into her mind, and she bellowed when it started to touch the corners of her mind. It spread like wildfire, infecting and destroying the flames that burned inside her mind. The darkness that had been asleep were now fully awakened, and it wouldn't stop until she was completely enveloped with evil.

"Please!" Leyna screamed, making Nye's shadow linger beside her. He eyed her with astonishment, and he tried to help by hovering close; however, he stopped when he realized his essence would be sucked in and used to infect her. His silent pleads helped Leah seal her eyes and concentrate on herself. All the shrieks and warnings were no longer heard over the pounding of her heart. Inside of herself, she desperately tried to find the light Leyna had explained; she searched in the corners of her mind before catching a glimpse of a small flame in the back of her head. Clearly interested, she neared it and began to focus on making it larger and brighter. Her flame didn't grow, and doubt began to creep inside her mind.

Do not doubt, she pleaded with herself. Her flame flickered repeatedly, and she feared it would be blown away from the panic that entered her. Leah could finally hear the bellows that were emitted from Leyna and the cruel simpers from the shadows. She was losing herself. Instead of glowing, it wavered and lost its light; she whimpered but growled when she realized she was their only hope. The shadows were nearing them, and they would have no mercy on any of them. Fate had given her the chance to love and protect, and she would not let Fate laugh at her.

Growling, she felt a burst of energy surge through her body, making her quiver and moan at the pain. She did not lose the flame as the energy rippled through her body and finally entered her mind. Instantly, doubt receded and was attacked by the light that grew in size. A lucent splendor rushed from her mind and furiously spread to the shadows. A screech of pain escaped her lips when the energy from her body was released; she closed her eyes when the pain increased, and for a moment, she allowed herself to savor the moans of the shadows and the soft reassurances that were whispered to her. For a moment, she allowed herself to drift away from reality and lose her focus on her internal light.

Booming footsteps resounded in her ears, causing her eyelids to flutter open and reveal her tired eyes that intently snapped in Leyna's direction. A beam gently touched the corners of her mouth, making Leah grin to herself but groan at the immense headache she had. Instinctively, Leyna rushed forward and held her head in her hands while cradling her body in her hands. Leah barely registered the cool floor beneath her fingertips and the abrupt sounds that entered her ears. Shallow breaths billowed from her nose as she twisted in Leyna's clement hold, which loosened when she realized Leah was searching for Dieter. Gently and cautiously, she pushed Leah's head to her lap and gestured at her brother's limp shadow. Beside Dieter, Leah could see Nye gingerly touching his eyelids while his father merely inspected his form. King Emerson's eyes snapped in her direction when he felt her eyes impaling his back. His eyes glistened lucidly with recognition and knowledge, which reminded her of his last words before the attack. He had asked if they knew the cure to the Shock.

"You did great," Leyna murmured, wiping away the cold sweat that slithered down her forehead. Her eyes flashed with wonder and pride, making a violent blush ascend onto Leah's cheeks. She was finally proud of herself for standing up to the darkness even if she had passed out. "I have never seen a light as bright as yours. It was radiant and magical. I could feel the energy in my fingertips and the destruction in the air. They were destroyed immediately, and I am sure they will not be able to come back anymore. The Populus Fusca are hard to defeat, but once light hits their skin, they die almost instantly."

"Is it controllable?" Leah asked, fearing that if she used her light uncontrollably, she could start havoc.

"I will show you how to manipulate it," she stated determinedly.

King Emerson neared them with a look that brought hope to their hearts. Nye stalked forward and stood beside his father, who carried Dieter in his hands. A grave smile twisted his lips, but by the expression of sureness on his face, they knew the news would destroy the doubt in their minds.

"When are your parents arriving?" he inquired and Nye looked at his father curiously with his dark eyebrows raised, indicating his uncertainty.

"They are coming at dawn," Leyna said carefully, peering up at him with wariness. He nodded and clasped his hands together before placing Dieter on the ground — directly in front of them.

"The cure for the Shock is not known by any other species than ours. I am sure your parents will return with information, but not with the exact cure. The speculations will not function on his body, especially because the Shock is progressing rapidly. Our species knows the secret, however, and I am willing to help your brother. As a parent, I know the loss of a child is great, and I would not want another parent to suffer. Your brother has also formed an alliance with the majority of my people, and I fear that if he dies, there will be nothing stopping my people from taking drastic measures. I cannot control them anymore, but his alliance will sustain them for a while longer.

"The cure is dangerous, but it will save him. Our people know the ways of the Shock, for they have resided in our realm and protected themselves by living in the cavern. It is useful but I fear that if it is not done properly, he will still be infected as well as his mate. She must focus on her light because the Shock is a dark disease; she must make it glow brighter than before, control it, and she must give her essence to him. The sacrifice of her essence will bring the Shock out of his body, but it will also cause it to jump onto the nearest person: her. Her light must continue to glow, and we will ready ourselves to kill it. If her light doesn't glow, it will not come out, and he will still be infected. If her essence is not sacrificed with pure intentions, she will be paralyzed for the rest of her life. If her light does not glow when it is out, she will be infected instantly. Would you still like to try?"

"How will I give him my essence?" Leah questioned.

"Since your essence is a part of your spirit and life, you will have to kiss him."

"The Shock will climb up his throat," Leyna started fearfully. "It will infect her!"

"She will not be affected as long as the light continues to glow and she moves in time," he explained tiredly, knowing that this procedure was difficult to comprehend fully. Leah nodded determinedly and she bent in front of Dieter. Hope brimmed in her eyes as she clasped her hands with his and peeked at them.

"Can we start?"

Leyna focused on her light as she moved closer and held Nye's arm tightly. He tried to reassure her, but he was too focused on trying to handle himself. Because of those vile creatures, his best friend and his mate was in trouble. Chaos swarmed above their heads, waiting for the right moment to strike. Hopefully, the procedure would work out in the end. If it didn't, he was sure no one would survive the loss of two beloved people.

"You can begin," King Emerson instructed.

At that moment, Leah was more aware of everything than she had ever been. Her ears perked up on the insignificant noises in the room: the small sniffles, the hasty breaths, the quiet murmurs, the roar of her heart, and the nearly inaudible rumbles that were emitted from Dieter's throat. She leaned down and gazed at his shadow with determination. Her fingertips gingerly grazed his chest so she could feel his heart; she touched his eyelids, the side of his face, and then his lips. Leah parted them slightly before resting her lips on his cool ones.

Almost as if she knew, she closed her eyes and focused on the light in her body. She tried to manipulate its growth, but it growled and continued to glow without control. The splendor washed over her form, uncontrollably enveloping Dieter's body while trying to attach itself onto the guards. A hush feel over them as they peered at her with interest; her body was completely covered with light that hastily increased in brightness.

Since she had her light, she focused on her pure intentions and released part of spirit. Leah could feel a faint tendril floating away from her body and pressing itself to Dieter. Her essence pushed itself inside his body and greedily swarmed the Impetusque, hurtling it up his throat. Leah could feel the light decreasing from overexertion, but she refused to give up. The Impetusque was traveling up his throat, and she could feel it thrashing with her essence. The light desperately hovered above it and gradually finished its strength, making it growl and climb up his throat. Just as it was jumping inside of her, she pulled back and broke the bond her essence had made with Dieter.

Doubt tried to creep inside her mind when she saw the ugly disease slithering toward her; however, she clenched her teeth together and nearly screamed when pain erupted from her chest. The fading light grew and attacked the Impetusque, which flailed and thrashed on the ground before crawling forward. Her lips trembled when it neared her but halted when King Emerson reached forward. He murmured an incarnation under his breath before allowing Leyna to release her own light. Together their light danced and tackled the Impetusque, which pulsated and jumped but staggered to the ground. With one last twitch, the horrid disease died and dissolved into a puddle of putrid liquid. It sizzled and then everything was engulfed by silence. It was finally over.

With quivering limbs, she crawled toward Dieter and seized him. His body trembled from the side effects of the Shock, causing his chest to heave more abruptly than before and making his breaths come out panicked. He struggled to breathe on his own, and he struggled to contain his heart's beats. His heart hammered in his chest faster than it had been beating since the Shock had started, which made his body thrash and cling onto Leah. Her presence gradually soothed his body and placed him in a peaceful state. With one last shuddering breath, his eyelids fluttered open and sought his soul mate. His lips moved, his chest heaved with life, and his spirit rejoices. She clung onto his body, but she knew his spirit had to leave immediately. He needed to find his body before it was too late.

Leah paid close attention to his lips, noticing he murmured her name continuously. His dainty fingertips touched her cheeks before they faded and his body hovered above the ground. He slinked into the natural shadows, beckoning them a farewell. Dieter was finally cured. Leah watched with mirth as his body blended into the shadows and ceased to reside in the room. Her mate would live.

* * *

><p>The chapters are growing longer and chapter twelve is especially long. I think this may be the halfway point for this story. I hope you are all enjoying this story, and I might change the cover today. Also, I might change the category to fantasy because there isn't much horror. Also, so far I have a sequel planned. This fan fiction will be my main focus right now and then I'll update the rest. Thank you! Have a great day!<p> 


	11. Chapter 10: Heavy Heart

Chapter 10: **Heavy Heart **

Edited: December 31, 2012

**His silent farewell caused her** chest to ache with longing, for Leah wanted to see her mate once more. She stood up uneasily and stalked in a daze toward Leyna, who grabbed her hand and faintly beamed at her. Her eyes darted to Nye and his father before wandering toward Leyna again; she noticed the gloom behind her defenses and the lingering tenderness as she peered at her friend, Nye. Lips twitching downward, Leah realized Leyna's hand quivered slightly, but it ceased to quake when Nye glanced at her for a moment. His serious expression warned Leah of the loss everyone would feel — even her. She did not know Nye as well as Leyna, but he had protected her and proved to care deeply above everyone he met. Just by staring at him, she realized he was debating on whether or not to stay with his father.

His shoulders were raised along with his chin, which caused his eyes to become fierce with determination and a profound essence of sadness. King Emerson whirled around and carefully approached them with his son, whose fists were loosely clenched beside his nervous figure. He gnawed on his bottom lip before sighing and standing up to the two girls he loved more than anything; his best friend's mate was finally going to meet her mate, and he had developed a strong bond with her even though he had just met her. Leyna was a girl he would always love because of her affectionate ways and her innocence, but she wasn't his; he had to let go before he became a problem and before she realized his heart belonged to her. Nye could still remember the days where she would ask him about the girl he dreamed about mating with, and he would always shrug, making her scrunch her nose and claim she would find him the right one. She never knew about his love, but that was fine. He would not allow her to look at him with pity and guilt.

"I will bring you back, but I must return to this realm. This is my home," he started. "I have neglected my duties as the rightful guardian of the borders and realms, which allowed chaos to reign. My presence is required here in my home, where I can finally see my family again. I hope you both understand and bid your parents a farewell on my behalf."

Tears ascended inside Leyna's eyes, but she bravely nodded and hid her tears from him. Leah's grip on her hand grew firm so she could reassure her brother's mate that everything would be fine.

"Will you visit?" she inquired fearfully and she peered up at him with her large eyes, making him nod and embrace her. He hugged Leah and exhaled curtly when he realized this would be the last time in a while that he would see them. His body threatened to quiver from the sobs that entered his body, but he merely grinned sadly at them and clutched them firmly.

"I promise I will visit after the chaos has been destroyed," he amended quietly before gripping them tighter. King Emerson bid them farewell before permitting his son to bring them back to their realm. Before Leah could even close her eyes, she caught a glimpse of the darkness engulfing them from behind while throwing them forward. Everything blurred in her eyesight, but she could still see the darkness creeping on top of them. She heard Nye curse under his breath before bellowing in anger. His essence quickened until he was finally where they had started. Lucent light attacked her eyes for a moment before receding. Angry murmurs were produced from Nye, and she flinched when she saw scorch marks on his clothes. The glow from the lights in the basement floated toward her once more, attracted to her essence and innocence. Leyna embraced Nye once more, and her shoulders racked with her sobs. He hugged Leah and tried to ignore the anguish that revolved around him. Guards bid him goodbye, and a few of his personal friends embraced him for the last time.

"I must leave before the borders are opened again," he stated with such sorrow that Leyna cried out. She grabbed Leah and cried on her shoulders when he became a shadow once more. The light ceased to reside in the room as he slinked into the shadows, where only his eyes could be seen. Sniffles ascended from Leyna's throat as she waved and watched him leave. A brilliant splendor enveloped the basement once more, making Leyna grab Leah's hand and force her up the stairs.

"We should visit Dieter," she suggested while she wiped the tears from her eyes and focused on her brother, who was alive and cured. Immediately, her spirit was lifted at the mention of her brother, which made her bounce in step with Leah, who looked at her curiously while trying not to giggle. A nervous laugh bubbled in her lips before it burst out, and she doubled over in a fit; she didn't know why she was laughing, but it felt as if the heavy weight that had been on shoulders disappeared from the lightness that overwhelmed her body. A mirthful grin twitched the corners of Leyna's lips, but she did not say anything because she knew Leah was nervous of seeing her mate.

Hesitantly, Leah pushed the door open and was faintly surprised to see Dieter sitting on top of his bed with syringes on his skin, with Carabella healing his wounds, and with his eyes boring holes onto her forehead. His eyes softened when he noticed Leah was standing in front of him nervously, shyly inspecting his appearance, which was ragged and ghastly. She could see punctures on his chest, which was exposed and revealed his healthy heart beats. His muscles constricted when he beckoned her forward, which she did with the help of Leyna. She dashed forward and Dieter immediately clutched her close while pulling her onto his lap. His soft lips trailed the side of her face before kissing her forehead in a tender manner, making tears brim in her eyes. Instinctively, she burrowed her head on his chest and shuddered when his cool touch gingerly rolled down her back and then to her arms.

"I apologize for not protecting both of you," he apologized, glancing at his sister with brotherly love. She gingerly touched the wounds on his face before gravely smiling at him with an easiness that made him grin back. Carabella beamed at the sight before unlatching the syringe from his arm and leaving them so they could have more privacy. A breath escaped his nose when his flesh painfully stretched back together and licked away the malignant fluids from his skin.

"How much do you know?" Dieter inquired, raising an eyebrow at his sister and his mate, who snuggled with him and refused to detach herself from him. He did not seem to mind either, especially when she peered up at him tenderly.

"I know everything about your species from Leyna," Leah started quietly. "I also know about the Populus Fusca and some of the history of your species."

"I know you lied," Leyna responded softly, accusing him with her intense stare. Leah looked at them curiously, peeking intently at them as Dieter leaned forward, stroked his sister's hair reassuringly while looking into her eyes, and then settled beside Leah with a quick sigh. Her intense gaze wavered when she saw him flinch slightly and clutch his sides before glancing at the window, where a minuscule crack could be seen over the darkness of the night. They're having a silent conversation, Leah realized with a slight pang at not having been included.

"What are you talking about?" Leah inquired, raising an eyebrow tiredly. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her, but she stifled her yawns and narrowed her eyes at Dieter, who merely stared at her, mentally debating on whether or not to tell her about the deceit that revolved around his kingdom, which was on the verge of being destroyed. His steely eyes wandered toward Leyna, whose head moved from side-to-side while her eyes peered at the closed door behind her petty shoulders; he knew she was wondering about her mate, Embry.

"How do you expect us to form a bond when you're hiding information from me?" she questioned as she shook off his arms from her body, mentally shivering at the loss of his body wrapped around hers, at the warmth and protection he offered her willingly. Furrowing his eyebrows, he gingerly touched her shoulder and pulled her back into his grasp while stuffing his head near her shoulder; she stifled her sigh of relief when he nodded and gazed at him sister uncertainly. The secrets were about to be unveiled, but he needed her permission first.

"Leah, you must understand our family first to understand our kingdom. As a family, we have been tortured by our enemies for taking what is ours. As a kingdom, we are bond together to defeat and protect our people first; however, each ties together at a point and everything is forgotten in a moment of desperation. The secrets are mine to share as well as my family's, but without my sister's consent or her part of the story, I cannot tell you anything. If Leyna agrees, I will tell you our history, and hopefully, you will understanding our reasoning and why we have the troubles we have now. Leyna, are you fine with confining your story with Leah?"

Uncertainty swirled around Leyna's eyes along with fear and gloom, which was usually hidden behind her eyes by her defenses but was now exposed lucidly to each of them. Gradually, almost as if it pained her a bit, she nodded and stood from her position on the platform. Her forehead creased while her shoulders slumped, releasing an abrupt sigh from her lips. Determined, she whirled around and nodded once more with a greater purpose.

"I will share my story with you, Leah, but Embry must also be present for this. It will help you both...understand," she said, trailing off slightly while internally wincing at her greatest fears. Her brother raised an eyebrow at the mention of her mate's name, but he didn't say anything. Leisurely, she sauntered out of the room, quietly sealed the door behind her, and tried to mask the sorrow that was clear on her face.

"She is afraid but I have faith this will help her realize she does not have to fear her past anymore," he murmured hopefully, trying to convince himself this was for the best. His sister could not suffer anymore, but that fact was inevitable. Leyna suffered the instant she was brought into the world and perhaps even when she was in his mother's womb.

Guilt enveloped Leah but his silent reassurance assured her she had the right to know. She could not stand in the dark anymore and be protected by lies. As Dieter's mate and future queen, she deserved to know everything about him — even his greatest fears. Swift footsteps along with soft murmurs floated inside her ears, alarming her beforehand of their presence, making her stiffen yet gradually relax on Dieter, whose hands firmly gripped her waist as he leaned on the headboard. A tender kiss was placed on her forehead before the door opened and revealed Leyna and Embry.

Embry situated himself near the platform but on the recliner, where he could easily reach out and grab his mate; however, he restrained himself when he noticed the grave smile that contorted her face and marred her angelic appearance. His heart clenched violently when he realized his angel was suffering, but he did not know why. She had awakened him in the middle of the night, claiming she needed to tell him the truth. Behind the gloom, he could faintly see defiance blossoming into something much larger, influencing her to take a profound breath and lick her lips. She paced around the room, but promptly stopped when she felt their eyes scorching her back.

"I realize that in order to understand and accept us, you must know our past. My past is heavily tied in with the chaos that is occurring now, so I believe I must start at the beginning — at the start of my existence. I hope you will both understand our kingdom better, our reasons, and learn to accept both of us despite our mistakes. We have all learned from our mistakes. With a heavy heart, I will begin now. If at any point you wish to leave, you may and I will not hold anything against any of you."

With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes, sat on the ground, and began her tale — starting at her very existence. Everything blurred around her until she was finally lost in the past, lost in the nightmares that tortured her at night, and lost in the screams that had started because of her.

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><p>Hello! There will be two and a half flashback chapters about her previous life. Thank you for reading! I have a Wattpad account DannyDeAngelus, so please check that out! Thanks! Have a great New Years!<p> 


	12. Chapter 11: Past Revealed Part 1 (Taken)

Chapter 11: **Past Revealed Part 1 (Taken) **

Edited: January 2, 2012

**Silent cries escaped her lips as** she writhed on her platform, lost in the darkness of the night. It was the very darkness that threatened her every night, that whispered the future in her ears, warning her of the torture that would happen soon. It was the darkness that tainted her light soul. Little Leyna could barely see over the thick haze that enveloped her, but she did not scream out for her parents anymore; the darkness would seek them instead and harm them instead of her. It was not fair, she reasoned to herself, thrashing on her bed, trying to see through the dark. Light wanted to escape from inside of her body, but it was too small, and she was too unaware of her powers. Panic creeped from the corners of her mind, filling her body with fright while making her convulse violently.

She pleaded with the oncoming darkness, but it did not listen, and instead, it planted seeds of terror inside of her. Leyna would not be able to escape the torture once more. Quiet tears cascaded down her cheeks as she laid and closed her eyes, witnessing the horrendous voice that whispered in her ears, looming above her figure without revealing himself to her. Tendrils floated above her without touching her, just hovering enough for her to feel the presence of evil above her, scaring her and warning her of the dangerous the dark presented.

"Are you afraid, Leyna?"

She didn't respond but she knew he could feel the fear pumping through her blood, and she knew he could see the visible shudders that racked her tiny body. He thrived on the fear that settled on her body, but she was not the one he wanted. She was too weak for him to use.

"I am merely showing you, Leyna, the future that awaits your wretched family. Do not worry, Leyna, for you will not be harmed unless you interfere. Your brother is the one that is needed."

Runty shivers slithered down her spine, but she did not move as the tendrils nearly touched her face, as his very essence hovered above her, menacing the light that pounded rapidly inside of her mind. Leyna wanted to plead with him to stop, but she knew that would simply make him laugh.

Before she could even say anything, his essence entered her mind, making her twist on her platform and clutch her head, which pounded and was overwhelmed with sharp pains. Veins pulsated under her flesh while her neck extended and her body arched, throwing her over the edge. A scream rumbled in her chest, which was being attacked by the greedy essence. A black heart. He wanted her to have a black heart like him. His essence was instilled in her nightly so she would become like him — a monster that craved chaos. He wanted to extinguish the light inside of her before she knew of her gift.

Leyna could see her older brother, Dieter, sleeping peacefully with his chest heaving up and down continuously. Suddenly, his heart beat accelerated as a burly man with broad shoulders, a strong jaw, and fierce eyes that were tainted the palest shade of cerulean, appeared above him and stared at his small figure. Dieter was only six, but the man could already feel the power and authority radiating from his figure. Dieter had the potential he needed in his soldiers; he could easily bend Dieter's little mind to his bidding. It would be far too easy to influence him negatively.

Dieter's body jolted up on his platform, and his eyes snapped open and snapped in the man's direction; his breaths came out shallow, but he puffed out his chest and hurriedly hopped away from his platform. His feet gradually wandered toward the door, but the man was too quick, and his hands hastily wrapped themselves around Dieter's small form. He hurtled his trembling figure onto the ground and watched as he coughed at the essence that combined with his. Darkness approached darkness and assisted it by helping it grow. Dieter was consumed by the maliciousness that erupted deep inside of him, making him scream out for help. His defenses were lowered, and his mind crumbled under the essence; he was far too weak to fend off the villain that wanted him.

The foreign man touched his head and reveled in the power that surged through his fingertips and entered his body, causing his heart to accelerate while making his body absorb Dieter's energy. Hungrily, he eyed the little boy, who he knew would bring him immense power and would help him conquer his enemies — including Dieter's own parents. Pain erupted from Dieter's mind and heart, causing him to bellow and thrash until the strange man stopped, permitting his body to rest.

"You will be my prized possession," he muttered to himself, dreaming of the kingdoms he would conquer.

Leyna yelped angrily when she realized a man would steal her brother from them at night. The dark essence inside of her receded, allowing her to jump from her fetal position and hurry to the door. She needed to check on her brother. It was urgent! The essence chuckled behind her, but she could not see him over the veil that blinded her; she could only feel him, never see him, but at this very moment, she did not care for her own life but for her brother's. Without him, she would perish in agony at knowing that she could have saved him, but she hadn't because of her fear. She was stronger than that; she had to believe or else the heavy cloud of gloom would settle over her shoulders and render her defenseless. Leyna could not afford that to happen to her or her dear brother, so with all her courage, she slammed the door open and hurried down the hallway. The essence behind her slinked back into the shadows and disappeared from the kingdom, knowing his job was done and knowing chaos would reign. The other man had wanted Dieter, but he would not receive him tonight, for he had changed the vile man's plans.

Silence engulfed her as she steadily sprinted down the hallway and abruptly opened the door to her brother's room. Already, she could see him in a profound slumber with his chest heaving from the lightness in his body. Leyna carefully sauntered toward him until she was looming above his body; his heart rate accelerated without any notice, alarming her and making her heart hammer rapidly. Her eyes darted to the entrance, where she had previously seen the man enter, but she could not see anything but darkness. Dieter's eyelids fluttered open, staring at her with confusion, which made his mouth twist to the side. He patted his platform, and she eagerly pressed herself to him, trembling from the scare. Maybe everything was just a nightmare — a figment of her imagination?

"Did you have another nightmare, Leyna?" he asked, yawning while stroking her hair and placing her on the cushions of his bed. "Do you want hot chocolate?" She nodded and tried to ignore the sensation that creeped inside her head. He smiled tiredly and reassured her he would come back soon with her drink. Dieter knew hot chocolate pacified her, so he would bring her some and pray she would sleep peacefully. Leyna had told his parents and him about the nightmares, but he did not fully comprehend the terror that passed through her heart, through her blood and veins, through her spirit. With a reassuring hug, he left and allowed Leyna to relax. Her brother was alright, and that simple fact pacified her racing heart. She closed her eyes and permitted herself to revel in the silence of the night. Leyna would try not to fear the darkness anymore.

Suddenly, she could no longer hear anything, not even her breaths. Her heart continued to beat promptly from the terror that passed through her body. Hesitantly, her eyes snapped open and wandered toward the entrance, where she could faintly see the shadow of a man meandering closer with a nasty scowl on his handsome face. His calloused fingertips gingerly touched the side of her face, silently marveling how she nearly crumbled under his intense gaze, how her heart mimicked her breaths, and how her eyes shone lucidly with her raging emotions. Immediately, he was hit by the light that was radiated from her small form, which made him grin a bit. He had lost the boy who would make him feared around the kingdom, even more than he was now, but he had gained the child that would break this kingdom from the inside. It would be too easy from then on.

"You were sent by him," he started carefully, peering at her closely as she shivered and tried to shake her head. He knew she did not know who he was talking about, but he continued his rant while pacing around her still figure. "He tried to ruin my plans, but he does not know that it will only help me. You distracted your brother, so I will capture you instead. You shouldn't have meddled, young one."

Without even knowing it, he grabbed her and placed his rough hands on her lips while hurtling her over his shoulders. Smirking smugly, he reveled in the power that surged through his body and ignited him more than that scrawny child ever could have. Leyna was pure power inside, but she was still weak on the outside. She would be hard to influence, but she would make a great addition to his purpose. He took the rest of the energy from her body while placing the letter addressed to her parents; he was sure it bring fear to their hearts, especially because he was the most feared man at the moment. Taking children from the most power leaders in every kingdom certainly brought sorrow and fear to the rest of the kingdoms. He was Ananias after all, and he deserved to be feared.

When Leyna awoke again, she was instantly struck by the stench of fear, adrenaline, and blood. Sweat flowed across her flaring nostrils, making her gag repeatedly, for she loathed the smell of over exertion and terror. She was struck by the foreign room, by the strange smells and the new faces that welcomed her with enthusiasm. The man she had seen last night stalked forward and crouched in front of her, holding her chin up so she was forced to look into his eyes. Leyna refused to let him see her internal turmoil, but she was sure he could see it, especially because he grinned maliciously and loomed above her. His footsteps resounded garishly in her ears, and she was sure she would always remember each strike of pain that impaled her chest when he walked closer and further away from her.

"Leyna, you were brought here for a better purpose than what was laid out for you. You were brought here to help achieve success for the whole. You will succeed, Leyna, but if you are not obedient, you will be punished for your actions. Every punishment will increase until you are disposed of. Be careful or else," he warned. "Now I must leave. Your progress will be shown to me at the end of the week. Everyone is sleeping and so will you. Goodnight."

With that, he left the room and nodded at the women who were planted near the door. The guards opened the doors for him and promptly closed them behind him, making sure she would not escape. She did not even want to escape anyways, for she was too paralyzed to do anything. Leyna was too numb to feel anything, for her life had drastically changed in a night: she was no longer at home, she was stolen away from her life, her friends, her family, her very kingdom, and she was brought into a place, where she knew she would constantly be placed in danger. Life was difficult and it was giving her more complications than she could count.

"It is time to sleep, child. Come with me."

She could not even say anything — even when she was forcefully dragged away. Leyna just closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry when she was dumped inside a room. Her eyes snapped open when she was hurtled onto the floor, making her head collide with the ground, which brought the start of a pool of tears. Bunk beds were placed around the large room, and snores could be hear; they rang in her ears when she was grabbed by her arms and thrown in a random bunk. It sunk under her petty weight, and she laid on top of the covers, silently praying under her breath while watching the woman, who had lithe muscles, pound the bunk bed on the top. A groan ran in her ears along with the yells that came from the foreign woman. Romanian, she realized tiredly; she was speaking Romanian, and Leyna could barely understand anything. Apparently, the boy understood her because he spoke the language with ease. The woman silenced him and immediately stalked out of the room, shutting the door behind her without even waking the other children.

She closed her eyes and stumbled into a light slumber before the child above her could even talk to her. Leyna allowed herself to fall into a deep slumber without even thinking about the risks. Tears involuntarily cascaded down her eyes as she dreamed of home — of her personal heaven.

A command woke her in the morning, making her jolt up and hit her head against the bunk bed that hovered above her. She groaned and yelped when she found cruel eyes glared at her with extreme distaste. Leyna scrambled back and nearly cowered when the man spat beside her and gripped her arm with unnecessary strength, tainting her pallid skin with the imprint of his hand.

"I told you to wake up," he snarled menacingly, throwing her onto the floor and slamming her head onto the ground, making images of her life blur around her eyes. From the corner of her eyes, she could see a line of children leaving the room without even looking at her; they could not or else they would get punished for not minding their own business. "Look at me!"

She refused to look at him, which caused him simper and step on her ankle. Leyna bellowed and scratched his face when he leaned down and grabbed her chin. He threw her once more and laughed when she tried to thrash around. Pain entered her body when she looked into his eyes; he was causing it, she realized as she started to lose her hold on reality. Everything blurred in her eyes, but he stopped before she fainted from the sharp pains that pierced her. She panted and merely looked at him tiredly.

"You must train now. Move!"

Against her will, she forced her body to move and meandered away from her bunk bed. No one was in the room, so there was a silence that scared her. Everything was so ordered even the guard's footsteps. He pushed her when her legs wobbled, which made her stagger forward but catch herself in time. She gritted her teeth and defiantly raised her chin while making sure she did not do anything wrong. Her ankles screamed at her as well as her head, but she did not do anything; she could not do anything even if she wanted to. The realization slapped her in the face, but she refused to do anything, especially cry. Sobbing in front of her enemy would inspire him to become more malicious with him. She would not let him do anything to her anymore, but she knew she was too weak to do anything. Defenseless, powerless, and weak — a combination that would kill her.

"This is where you will train," he said with a Romanian accent. She vaguely wondered where she was, but she knew he would not answer.

When she entered the room she was training in, she noticed the children viciously attacked other children. They were clean and in good shape, but she could see the little monsters inside of them, transfiguring them from innocent children to the man she had seen in her brother's room last night. They were frightening, especially because they were trained and leapt at a great opportunity to harm. Blood and sweat swarmed her nostrils again, making her gag, causing the guard behind her to scream at her. She wanted to cover her ears and run away from the violence, but he did not let her. Leyna flinched when she heard a terrified yelp escape a young boy's lips when his opponent hurtled him into the wall and stepped on his back, making it crunch. She watched, clearly horrified, when the swarthy-skinned boy stepped on his throat and rendered him defenseless; she peered helplessly as he tried to step on his head to paralyze him, but she released a breath of relief when guards stepped forward and stepped him.

"You will never survive," he murmured in her ears, making her shiver and glare at the ground. Her shoulders slumped but she knew it was true. She was glad her family was safe, and that was what kept her going; the need to be with her family once more motivated her.

"Get her a partner!"

Restraining herself from whimpering, she found herself herself shivering and nearly screaming when they pulled the swarthy-skinned forward. He was much older than her, around ten years old. She groaned when they pushed her small, four-year-old form in front of him. Leyna flinched when the boy smirked smugly and touched her cheeks; she noticed he was good-looking with his lithe figure, short ebon locks, and hazel eyes. Looking around, she realized all the children were blessed with good looks, talent, gifts, and natural abilities to fight. Those traits were obviously the ones the man valued.

The guard behind her pushed her to the center, where the swarthy-skinned boy was. He eyed her with distaste before running toward her; she instantly dodged, ran away from her, and hid behind the others. Leyna nearly squealed when he gripped her hair and threw her onto the ground, making her roll on the ground and kick him in the gut. He rolled over and ran into her, tackling her onto the ground. His weight was superior to hers, so she was not surprised when he pinned her easily. He peered at her innocent eyes and snarled, for he hated innocence. It blinded children instead of helping them. He had once been that innocent, but he had lost hope in everything. Nothing was sacred there. He would just be helping her. Leyna screamed out in pain when he punched her face repeatedly, when he nearly tore her limbs apart, when he loomed above her body and allowed his fingers to touch her temples.

"Please," she whimpered helplessly, knowing what he would do. His eyes hardened instead of softening. He pressed his fingers to her temples violently, and for a moment, her life flashed in her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered until she closed them, and her breaths faltered until she was sure it would stop. She stopped responding but she could vaguely hear commands around her. Leyna lost herself in the pain and memories of her lost life.

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><p>Hello! Thanks for reading. There are two more chapters of flashbacks. Please check out my Wattpad account called DannyDeAngelus. Have a great day!<p> 


	13. Chapter 12: Past Revealed Part 2

Chapter 12: **Past Revealed Part 2 (The Protector) **

Edited: January 4, 2012

**Pain pierced her head when** she finally gained consciousness. She blinked repeatedly to wash away the pain and the tears that pricked her eyes. Leyna could not afford to look weak any longer. Soft shuffles resounded clearly in her ears, making her eyes dart in that direction, where she could see emerald eyes peering curiously at her. Crimson hair with green eyes and flawless skin with a tinge of gold met her eyes, making her swallow the lump that constricted her throat.

An ache bothered the back of her throat, but she ignored it by wringing her wrist and gnawing on her bottom lip, which was bleeding slightly. She glanced down at herself and sighed exhaustedly when she noticed the bruises that layered her pallid flesh, the hands that were imprinted on her skin, the grime from the ground, her own blood and sweat. Leyna was sure her face was puffy from the tears and the punches, but she could not bring herself to worry about that. A pang impaled her temples, making her whimper and cry out for her parents.

Hands wrapped themselves around her petty waist, embracing her without even asking for her permission, hugging her to comfort her for the time being, for he knew the anguish she was feeling. He knew the pain threatened to tear her apart, and he could not let that happen. Too many innocent children had died in front of him. Too many people. Too many lives that would never be recovered.

Her tears stumbled onto his clothes, but he could not bring himself to care. Sniffles and moans for her home reached his ears, making his heart clench with anxiety and guilt. If he had completed the task correctly, she would not have been brought in. It was all his fault, and although he was only five, he knew he should have worked harder to complete his task properly.

"I am sorry," he whispered in her ears, shaking his head from side-to-side while soothing her by stroking her hair reassuringly. She peered up at him with her large eyes, which were framed by two dark circles, and stuck out her bottom lip. Her head tilted to the side before she offered him a timid smile.

"Why are you apologizing?" she inquired curiously, raising her head so she could stare at him properly. He was much taller than her with a firmer body than her, which made her feel tiny and insignificant; however, that sensation disappeared when he clasped his hand around hers to reassure her his intentions were pure and not malignant — even though his apology made it seem that way.

"You were brought here for two reasons: one, Ananias needed another kingdom to destroy. The other reason, which is probably the reason that influenced him further, was me. I did not complete my task properly, and I almost cost him his purpose. He even told me that, if I did not complete it correctly, I would be punished and another child would be brought to help me with future missions. Unfortunately, I failed and he decided to make my missions harder now, so my failure brings death to myself now."

"It is not your fault," she whispered quietly, almost as if it hurt her to speak. "What was your mission?"

He stared at her for a while without speaking, just analyzing her, watching her as she gingerly touched her face, then her temples, and how she sighed longingly without even realizing it. He noticed her purity and instantly felt the weight on his shoulders increase. How could he?

"I had to kill Romano De Grabris of the Romani clan in the outskirts of Romania," he stated emotionlessly, causing Leyna's eyes to widen. Her hands clenched when she realized the children were trained to kill important figures in society. Defeated, he nodded and jutted his jaw, rubbing it with his free hand before allowing a profound breath to escape his lips.

"He found out I was a part of this camp made by Ananias himself, so he attacked me. I couldn't think straight, so I lead him straight to this camp. No one knows the camp is in Romania except for those who work here. Ananias was alerted and he killed him in front of me before punishing me. You were brought yesterday night, which is around two days from when I disobeyed him."

"I have to kill?" Leyna asked even though she knew the answer. He nodded gravely and grimaced when he saw tears roll from the corners of her eyes, falling onto her lap, where her hand lay limply, moving only when pain attacked her wrists.

"I truly am sorry," he muttered mournfully, not knowing how he could ever forgive himself for bringing her here. She shook her head, trying to ease his pain.

"You did not bring me here," she rectified. "You have no part in this. You are just a victim."

"Darcy," he said suddenly, confusing her slightly. "My name is Darcy Drakos."

A gasp escaped her lips as she moved forward and hesitantly grazed his cheeks with her fingertips, trying to identify if he truly was related to the man she was thinking about. Instinctively, he jerked back at her touch, but once he remembered that she would not strike him like the others, he permitted himself to be touched by her. Darcy reveled in her soothing touch, the feel of her soft fingers touching his face experimentally, desperately searching for the truth. Angelic, he mused to himself. She truly was angelic in her appearance and in her personality.

When she finally found what she was looking for, he screamed and moaned when her touch suddenly burned him. Bellows escaped his lips as he scrambled away from her and lowly growled at her instinctively. She whimpered and cowered against the wall, making him shake his head and snap out of the pain induced trance he was in. Reluctantly, he moved forward and tried to ignore the sting that settled over his body. He felt like his spirit had been burned, but he could also feel the lightness in his heart.

As the pain dissolved, he could feel his spirit become light with relief from the darkness that had been spreading. His spite and anger leisurely dissolved until there was a healthy amount of it left. He blinked and tried to stroke her hair, but she sprinted away from him with her palms facing him. Darcy looked more closely than before, and he gasped when he found her fingertips were engulfed with light. Energy surged through Leyna, and she did not know how to control it.

"You are light," he whispered as he stayed away from her. Leyna's light could harm him, but she stopped her glow when she looked at her fingertips.

A frown reached her face, and she turned on her heels and cautiously walked toward him, silently waiting for him to attack her again. He sighed sadly at her hesitation, and judging from the mournful expression on his face, he truly was sorry for nearly attacking her.

With more ease, she waltzed forward and raised her eyebrows questioningly, making him gesture at the platform. Leyna now realized she was in a medical wing, which was like every other medical wing in the world: filled with medical supplies, sprayed with rubbing alcohol, cleansed of blood, and stacked with beds. It was ordinary and it made her smile because at least that was stable in all of the craziness.

"Light?" she questioned, frowning slightly while glancing at her fingertips once more.

Darcy hesitated to touch her again, but he sighed, faced his fear, and slowly touch her arm. A curt breath billowed from his nose, for he had not been harmed. His eyebrows knitted together when the glow did not surge through her body once more.

It was odd because not many immortals were graced with the gift of light. She was the first immortal he had ever met, and even though in the back of his mind a voice nagged him to stay away from her because she was his natural born enemy, he stayed with her and tried to explain. Leyna truly did not know of her gift, and that worried him because many immortals would use her once they knew. He was sure Ananias knew about her gift already.

"Yes, you are light. It is a gift not many immortals have because it is dangerous yet beneficial. Light can help you gain energy, and it can help you bring life. You can defeat the darkness with the light as well as those who reside in the darkness. Do you know who they are?" he questioned and she nodded.

"The Populus Fusca," she answered easily, eyeing him curiously. He nodded and his entire body stiffened from her intense gaze. "Are you one of them?"

He nodded and did not say anything when she analyzed him carefully before poking his side. Curiously, he raised an eyebrow, which made the corners of her lips twitch.

"I thought the Populus Fusca were only shadows. I thought they had no human form, but you do."

"There are certain Populus Fusca that are blessed with the gift to appear like a human, and fortunately, I am one of them. It is partly because my mother is part of the royal family. She is the king's sister, so the right to become a human is hers. Also, I am a half-blood — half Chilling like you and half Populus Fusca. My father used to be a part of the—"

"Elite Team for my father. It used to be the highest rank in his force, but now it has lessened a bit. Your father left because of his family. At least, that's what he told my father," she interrupted and Darcy was faintly surprised to know she was a royal.

"You are Leyna Athanasios," he stated knowingly and she nodded.

"Your name means light and angel," he started, "and it is ironic that you were blessed with light. Your soul is innocent along with your spirit, but if darkness stays inside of your mind, it will taint your spirit. It is dangerous because it can kill you from the inside. Leyna, you should not tell anyone about this gift. It is too dangerous because they will use you."

"I understand," she uttered quietly, clearly shocked. "How am I still alive?"

"What do you mean?" he inquired curiously, staring at her as she fidgeted and played with her hands.

"Every night, I have nightmares and I am always visited by a man who always hides in the shadows. I do not know who he is, but every night I can feel his dark essence inside of me," she explained. Darcy's eyes widened, and he shook his head from side-to-side so he could escape the truth. This could not be happening. Could it be him?

"Does he tell you of the future?" he questioned quickly, clamping his hands on her shoulders. "Does he warn you about the tragedy? Did he give you a vision about someone you love dearly? Did he tell you that the person was going to be kidnapped at night?"

"He did," she responded with her eyes staring up at him with astonishment. "He showed me the vision of my brother being taken at night by Ananias. Every night, he would show me my future."

"His name is Nicodemus. He used to be the most feared in the kingdoms, but that was a few thousand years ago. In history, he returns repeatedly in order to warn future leaders of the chaos that will reign. He plagues their mind and thrives on fear because his kind loves fear. He is not a Populus Fusca, but that is the form he takes. Nicodemus' kind is not known because it has been lost in history. No one knows his kind nor where he resides; however, everyone knows he lives. He has not be seen in more than a thousand years, but since he haunts you and I, he must have a purpose for us. Nicodemus must be warning us about the future, and he must have brought us here to reunite with each other."

When she opened her mouth to speak, the door violently slammed open and revealed two female guards, who scowled down at them with extreme loathing. A long-haired brunette with unsmiling golden eyes carried her away from Darcy, who she noticed seemed indifferent when the woman punched him in the face and then threw him away from the platform. She gazed at him intensely before clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth and gripping him by his hair.

He gritted his teeth and did not even say anything when she revealed a knife. She spoke to him in Romanian, and Leyna could only stare, frozen in her place, at Darcy as the knife neared his head. The raven-haired girl roughly gripped his hair and pulled it up before she started to cut his hair with the knife, taking giant clumps. He did not even flinch when she 'accidentally' cut his cheek.

"Finished," she muttered under her breath with an accent, standing back and patting his hair down with water. He merely stared up at her indifferently before peering at Leyna worriedly, silently pleading with them to let her go. Suddenly, it dawned on her: she would be given the same or worse treatment as him.

The raven-haired woman neared her with the knife and violently tugged on the ends of her hair, which stumbled down her back. Her blonde ringlets were matted to her flesh, causing the woman to swipe her nails along her soft skin, making Leyna internally groan with pain. Agony ripped through her heart when the knife neared the roots of her hair, and the woman played with the ends of her hair. She clicked her tongue against the roof

of her mouth, but she did not say anything as the knife threatened Leyna. It would hurt, she realized. Darcy hadn't screamed, but by looking at him, she knew he was saddened beyond belief knowing that she was going to be harmed. She did not deserve it.

"Stop, Camila," Ananias ordered before she could even harm Leyna. "Let her go, Camila. She does not need a hair cut. She has not done anything wrong, and her hair is perfect the way it is. It brings charm and child-like innocence to her, and I need her to look like this in order for her future missions with Darcy."

He barely looked at Darcy, but when he said the last sentence, she was sure his gaze was boring holes into Darcy's forehead. She was sure Darcy would be dead if it weren't for his special abilities. Ananias stalked toward her and lifted her chin, forcing her to lift her gaze from the ground, permitting him to see the tears that brimmed in her eyes. His calloused fingertips gingerly touched the side of her face, inspecting the wounds that covered her. Ananias nodded and peered into her eyes, analyzing the sudden knowledge that swirled in her eyes. He was tempted to sneer, but he allowed her to feel protected for the time being.

Knowing Darcy was a traitor brought a heavy load to his shoulders. It was too bad because Darcy was one of his best fighters; he was so skilled and naturally talented with fighting and deceiving others, making them feel safe in his grasp. Sadly, he would have to dispose of Darcy after the next mission. He would rebel against him, and Ananias could not afford to have a rebellion.

Scanning Leyna once more, he allowed her some security and pushed her away from him while gesturing with his head at the guard behind Leyna. She nodded and hastily left the room without even looking behind her shoulders, without reacting to the rejection that washed over her because she could not properly satisfy her master with her gifts. She wasn't as talented as Camilla, and that simple fact brought a deep sense of loathing to her blackened heart. Darkness lingered in her heart along with anyone who resided long enough in the camp.

"You were injured," he stated knowingly, watching her from the corner of his eyes while pacing around the room, occasionally analyzing Darcy, who continuously shifted and refused to meet his gaze.

Coward, he sneered; I have taught you better, but you have not absorbed the greatness that is this camp. No one understands. Bitter thoughts occupied his head, but he washed them away when Leyna hesitantly nodded and answered to his bidding. At least, she was learning his ways; it was a slow change, but he was sure he would always affect her. Leyna would always remember him, which is what he wanted. All the children here would remember him and his ways even when he died. He intended on it.

"I was injured during training," she spoke up quietly, gnawing on her bottom lip nervously.

"My guards told me you were good at hiding, dodging his attacks, and were fast at running. Is that true?"

Hesitantly, she nodded and confusion instantly clouded her mind when he said that. Where was he going with this? Her eyebrows knitted together, and her breaths became panicked when he suddenly stopped pacing and neared her once more with his eyes glistening lucidly with newfound information. A broad smirk littered the corners of his lips, and his entire face contorted with an emotion Leyna could not decipher. She was in trouble.

"Those are great traits to have, Leyna. Hopefully, you will become a fighter because that is also important. In order to survive in this camp, Leyna, you must think quick. I am offering you the same advice I offered my other trainees, including Darcy. Now see where my advice and training has brought him. He is one of the most advanced children here — even more advanced than some of the older children.

"Leyna, the guards will not keep you alive forever. Accidents happen, and eventually, someone gets gravely hurt. You must train yourself hard in order to succeed and destroy your enemies. You will not learn if there is no pain," he explained as he crouched in front of her and pushed her tangled locks out of her innocent eyes. He offered her a smirk before he turned to Darcy, who stared at him with an emotionless mask.

"Darcy will help you train tonight while the other children are resting. You will be placed in the ordinary rooms with the other children, but once you move up in rank, you will be placed in better living conditions with benefits. Hopefully, you will move up in rank. Darcy, bring her to the Dining Pavalion and then train her. Train her until she is tired and has learned how to fight back effectively. It does not matter how long it takes. I must leave. There are certain matters I must attend to."

He left the door open when he left, which meant he wanted them to start now. She worried her bottom lip by chewing on it harshly, making Darcy sigh and gingerly clasp his hand around her wrist. Leyna merely followed him through the maze of hallways, which were always guarded by higher ranking soldiers, all of whom seemed to respect Darcy even though he had committed a grave mistake.

She could clearly see the bond everyone had in the camp, but behind their connection, she could see the rivalry, deceit, and jealousy. Various scents reached her nose when Darcy pushed back the double doors and allowed her to see through the haziness.

Immediately, her eyes widened when she saw all the children who resided in the camp. Most of the residents were children, and she could barely see any teenagers. The ones she had seen were emotionless or vicious-looking with their soulless eyes, faux smiles, and distant minds. They were alive but they were barely living. They were haunted by the torture they had passed through their life and the lives they had killed. They were haunted by the souls that sought them at night, screaming the same way they had screamed in front of their faces.

Vicious killers surrounded her, but she knew it wasn't by their own choice. They all had a chance to be saved from the darkness that loomed above them, but that would require a plan. She was too weak for that, but maybe after she was trained properly, she could destroy this camp.

"As a lower ranking soldier, you have to fill in that line and then eat at that table," Darcy uttered as he pointed to the table, where only children with sunken eyes and ghastly faces sat. They were the ones that would die in a matter of days because they had lost hope. No one ate, no one sat, and no one lived at that table. That was her table until she moved up in rank.

She noticed the immediate distaste that was aimed at her when she sat at that table. The children who were in a higher place than her stared at her with dislike, hurtling her away from them, snickering at her, and even tripping her as she walked.

Her food splashed all over her face, and she swallowed her tears so she wouldn't cry. Leyna was always cared for at home, but now she wasn't. She was hated and used in this place, but she would not give up hope. Leyna needed to go back home.

From the corner of her eyes, she peered at Darcy, who stared at her with pity, but that soon changed when a boy beside him smacked his shoulder. He growled menacingly, effectively making the older boy cower in his seat and submit to him. In this place, Darcy was feared but haunted by his fears. She could see the torture behind his eyes and the regret. Darcy was her friend, and she knew he would never hurt her intentionally. A slight smile graced her face, making him grin from across the room.

When he was finished eating, he gestured with his head at the door. She nodded and met him at the exit before walking beside him down the hallways. She could see the camp was extravagant because chandeliers were placed everywhere, even in the hallways. Velvet carpets were placed on the grounds, willing were made of marble and wood, depending in which room they entered.

From what she could remember about the rooms, they were simple but neat. It was plain with bunk beds stacked around the room, dark wooden floors, and white curtains. Even though she was lower ranking, she noticed they had provided her with clothes. A simple t-shirt with sweat pants, but they were satisfactory.

Even though she had not tasted the food, it had smelled delicious and had brought water to her mouth. Her stomach growled and she clutched herself with her arms, clearly embarrassed.

Darcy's hold tightened on her wrist when he neared the training room. She exhaled curtly when the guards left the room and scanned Darcy before nodding. They already knew of the training that would happen. When they left, he took a small bundle from under his shirt and handed it to her while gesturing at her to sit. She did and eyed the bundle before hesitantly opening it. Squealing thankfully, she launched herself at him and burrowed her head near his chest.

"Thank you for the food," she uttered gratefully. He nodded and watched as she quickly devoured the food; he felt a pang when he realized this was probably the first time she had a proper meal in a while.

"Let's begin," he said when she finished eating. Determined yet slightly frightened, she nodded and forced her body to stop shivering. She needed to learn as much as she could from Darcy so she could escape from this wretched place.

A yelp escaped her lips when he abruptly charged at her and gripped her waist before throwing her away from him. Her breaths became brisk and shallow as she dodged his punches and kicks; she screamed when he nearly kicked her face and grabbed her by her wrist, pulling her to his chest. Breaths transfiguring into puffs, she watched as he nodded pensively and permitted her to breathe in air.

"You are great at dodging and running," he said. "You are much faster than the average immortal, but you cannot defend yourself well when your opponent is in front of you. Let's begin."

It took her all night and almost all morning to learn how to defend herself properly. She was actually pretty good at fighting, but she was not as good as Darcy. For a month, she trained with Darcy day and night, managing to avoid confrontations with the other children and the punishments. Because of Darcy, she was once again filled with hope, and she could see that he believed in her. He was her protector in this vile place.

* * *

><p>Hello! Thank you for supporting me with this fan fiction! I really appreciate the support. This chapter is long, but the next will hopefully be shorter. This just sets the stage for the next chapter. The next chapter is the last flashback, and in that chapter, it will also skip to Leah and Embry. Thank you for everything! Please visit my page on Wattpad called DannyDeAngelus. I will update this fan fiction again because I already have part of chapter thirteen finished. Thanks! Have a great day!<p> 


	14. Chapter 13: Past Revealed Part 3

Chapter 13: **Past Revealed Part 3 (Please Let the Suffering End)**

Edited: January 12, 2013

_A month later_

**Panicked breaths escaped her nose** when she was awakened in the middle of the night. Her hair was pulled before she was thrown onto the ground and spat on. She ignored the sinking sensation at the pit of her stomach, especially when the man in front of her glared at her with hatred and gripped her arm violently, making sure his nails dug into her skin and tainted her pallid flesh.

Her eyes were closed when she was dragged down the hallway without a care for her safety. Leyna wanted to cry, but because of past experience, she knew that tears would bring punishments — horrid ones that would render her defenseless for days. She wanted to ask where she was being taken, but she didn't even though she was worried.

The last person who had been dragged out of the room at night had not been seen for days. She was sure the girl, who was much older than Leyna, was dead because the guards gave no indication that she lived. They even brought a new child and situated her on the very same bed, muttering darkly about conspiracies and rebellions. What rebellions?

"Here is the girl you requested," the guard said. Ananias nodded and barely glanced at her when the guards shuffled out of the room and threw Darcy in the room.

He hissed when his head collided with the ground before shooting them a nasty glare that could have scared even the strongest of men. His eyes darted to Ananias before resting on her, making recognition replace his expressionless mask.

Frantically, he dashed forward and held her against his chest before tenderly kissing the side of her face to reassure her. Her eyes watered from the fear that impaled her heart, but she swallowed them, knowing that it would only excite Ananias.

Ananias sauntered forward and eyed Leyna with distaste, causing her to groan and stuff her face in her hands. She did not want to disappoint him! Her eyes widened when she realized that she was changing. He had changed her.

Realization struck her when she moved her head and peered up at him incredulously. Her mouth moved but she could not say anything. She was frozen because she was a traitor. Ananias grinned smugly at her and bent in front of her, roughly forcing her gaze to his.

"I told you, Leyna," he murmured and she shivered. "I will always be a part of you. You will forever belong to me and darkness."

Smirking broadly, he turned on his heels and stared at Darcy expectantly. He touched the blood that layered his clothes before stalking away from the children. His guards had clearly roughened Darcy up before they brought Darcy to him. His eyes landed on Leyna's figure, and he couldn't help but feel proud in her. She was finally affected. The darkness of his mind was stuck inside her, influencing her to please him.

"Darcy, there have been rumors about your loyalty. My guards have informed me of your late night visits with other children. One of them has confessed about the rebellion you are planning," he stated as he situated himself on his recliner and motioned at the guards with his hands.

Immediately, the door slammed open and revealed a burly teenager with fierce eyes. His ragged appearance proved that the guards were starting to torture the children in the rebellion. The teenager was thrown forward and hurtled in front of Ananias's feet. His face was contorted with rage, and before Leyna could comprehend what was happening, his body shot forward.

A yelp escaped her mouth, and her heart accelerated when she realized Ananias had speedily halted the boy from attacking him. Instinctively, his eyes brightened from the thoughts that plagued his mind, and his back tensed when he refused to let his inner animal loose. Ananias growled and Leyna felt a surge of fear enter her body when his eyes dilated. Shudders slithered down his body as he restrained himself.

Without any notice, he hurtled the teenager away from him, spitting on the ground he landed on. Revulsion shone lucidly in his eyes as he glowered at the teenager, who defiantly raised his chin and rose from his position on the ground. His eyes were narrowed, and his chest heaved with the fury that erupted inside his body. The teenager had waited too long for this confrontation.

Leyna's eyes widened when she took notice of his raven locks, pallid skin, and golden eyes. She had seen him before. He was the unspoken leader of the children. Malcolm, she reminded herself; his name was Malcolm. She nearly cried out when his eyes landed on hers and seemed to soften. He had a soft spot for the children, especially those who hadn't seen the violence outside these walls. The children who went on a mission never came back with their innocence intact.

His head snapped back in Ananias's direction once he heard his footsteps coming closer. His eyes darted from Ananias to Darcy and then to Leyna. Ananias stepped in front of him and grabbed his chin, forcing his gaze up. He was tempted to destroy Malcolm, but it wasn't his duty. That special job would be left to the little traitor.

"Darcy, come closer."

Hesitantly, Darcy trudged forward and halted when he was in arm's reach of Ananias. His heart thrashed in his chest when he caught sight of Ananias's malicious smirk.

"Darcy, you have been loyal to me for many years, but I have seen a change in you that I have never seen before. This change will not be accepted. Your rebellion will not be moved forward, and the children who are supporting you with it will be killed. Every single child will be killed. I will start with the first child — Malcolm; however, I will not be the one killing him. You will."

Darcy faced Malcolm, who growled under his breath but turned in Darcy's direction, silently accepting his fate. He would not fight against Darcy. He had already lived his life, and Darcy was still struggling with himself; he needed his life more than Malcolm.

"Long and painful," Ananias murmured gleefully, eyes brightening with his inner power.

Against his will, his limbs moved forward even though he screamed at himself. Ananias's gift was starting to affect him. The power to manipulate others was a very dangerous one, and unfortunately, an evil man had been blessed with this gift. It was a curse, and every victim would be damned to do what Ananias wanted.

Tears flooded Darcy's eyes as he moved forward and grabbed Malcolm's throat while slamming him into the ground. His limbs continued to move in a controlled manner — leisurely and tauntingly. He couldn't help but weep as his fingertips constricted Malcolm's throat, as blood spewed onto his fingertips, and as the life in Malcolm's eyes gradually ceased to exist. Leyna whimpered and closed her eyes, trying to tune out the groans of pain that were emitted from Malcolm. He didn't deserve a painful death.

I didn't see anything, she convinced herself. I'm dreaming. I'm home and I'm dreaming. I will wake up and see my brother and my parents. I will no longer see the torture and the pain. I won't suffer. I won't see life taken anymore. If I close my eyes and believe, it will come true.

Her eyes snapped open and sought her desires, but as she expected, they weren't there. Her desires were just that: desires and fantasies. This was her life now. She couldn't do anything to erase the pain or the screams of the children who suffered. Please, she prayed mentally. Please make the suffering end.

Darcy crumbled to the ground and held Malcolm in his arms, pressing his face against his stomach while begging him to forgive him. His agony intertwined with hers, and she mourned for him, silently allowing her years to mingle with his. She bounced forward and permitted herself to feel for him, to let her heart scream for the boy who had helped the children, for the boy who had known. Please, she begged. Please let the suffering end.

"Darcy, this was not your punishment. Your real punishment will come soon. Guards!"

Immediately, the room was crowded with eager guards, all of whom eyed them with disgust. They were ready to please their master. Disgusting.

Darcy held her in his arms and tried to protect her from the suffering. He knew his real punishment would come soon, but it wouldn't affect him physically. It would affect him mentally.

"Leyna, come forward."

She pulled herself away from Darcy, and as she marched forward with tears in her eyes, she realized her end was near. A lump constricted her throat as she shuffled forward, trying to ignore the hasty breaths that fanned in front of her face; she tried to ignore the blood that pounded in her ears, and the roar of her heart. Please, she prayed once more. Please let the suffering end.

Her heart thrashed in her chest as she stood in front of him, hanging her head slightly. His fingertips lightly grazed her chin, pushing her gaze upwards. Ananias's eyes held no remorse but slight amusement; he truly was evil, yet she couldn't loathe him. He had truly brainwashed her.

"You proved to be very useful, Leyna. Over the past month, you have helped my troops because they have competed with you. You even grew stronger and learned. It is too bad that you can't attend the promotion services tomorrow. You have been promoted for sure. Just know, Leyna, that it was not me that damned you. It was that pathetic child!" he hissed before moving her gaze once more. A whimper escaped her lips, but she continued to look at his eyes that burned her soul. His gaze and his very being would forever be imprinted inside her head.

As she continued to look into his eyes, she felt an essence enter her mind and creep forward. It stung her as it maneuvered through her mind, bringing horrific flashbacks of children who were beat to death by their comrades. Please, she prayed as she lost herself in the darkness of her mind. The light inside her body receded until there was barely a flame left. Darcy had helped her, but he couldn't help her much. He was a Populus Fusca after all.

His essence was traveling inside her mind, negatively affecting her and finishing the flames of light inside her body. She staggered backwards and barely noticed that two hands were holding her upright. Groans of regret were barely heard over her screams of pain. The darkness was hurriedly engulfing her, and it was destroying her soul. Her prayers died inside her mind along with her desires. Her hope was receding until only seeds were left behind.

"Bring her into the viewing room and make Darcy watch what happens."

Her screams died in her throat, which felt raw from the overexertion. She glanced at Darcy but didn't see Darcy. Leyna could barely see anything over the darkness that attacked her vision. Her body was thrown onto the ground, chained to the floor and stacked on top of a slimy substance. She just looked at the ceiling, muttering to herself.

Soon, she would forget about her hope and faith. Soon, she would no longer be the same Leyna as before. She would no longer be Leyna because Leyna was innocent, and this _Leyna was tainted with darkness — with evil!_

Memories attacked her, and her essence was sucked out of her. She was thrown around, harmed by several people, all of whom she could not see. She had gone deaf from the blows she had received to her ears, and she had gone blind from the tragedies she had seen. Darkness engulfed her and simpers resounded in her ears. Nothing was right. The world was cruel and dark, and she, an innocent creature, had been stripped of everything she owned. Leyna was _dead inside_ — but alive outside.

When the torture finally ceased, she had lost track of time. She opened her eyes and could barely see the outline of a figure. She wanted to speak, to say thank you for ending the torture, but she couldn't. Leyna stayed quiet and alone, curled up into a ball in the immortal's hands. For now, she rested and stuffed her pain away.

Immediately, her body jolted when frigid water was splashed onto her face, startling her. Her eyes snapped open and blindly sought the source of her torture. She could finally see, she realized with a grimace. She could hear, too. At least she wasn't damaged.

"Leyna, you have survived the first task. There are two more tasks left. Continue!" he exclaimed, motioning to the guards behind her. She allowed them to drag her away and throw her into a vast pool of frigid water. Leyna bellowed when she was shoved underwater and not allowed to resurface.

Instinctively, she struggled and thrashed, flailing around until she was allowed to breathe for a second. Repeatedly, she was thrown underwater until she felt like she was going to pass out. Her body was thrown onto the ground, and then she was beat until she was sore.

To stop herself from feeling pain, she focused on her mind and the light inside her body. It was weak but still there. So she wouldn't lose her mind, she opened her mouth and began to sing under her breath. Her songs only caused her guards to become frustrated and beat her until she was in the verge of fainting. Still, she continued because it was keeping her soul alive.

When her song died and her eyes rested behind her eyelids, she felt Ananias looming above her. Carelessly, she opened her eyes and gazed up a him with a slightly mad smile. She giggled and choked on her saliva, which mingled with the blood on her face. Deranged — she looked deranged and hopeless.

"One more task," he whispered in her ears as he picked her up. All she remembered was closing her eyes. She closed her eyes and perished in her nightmares.

* * *

><p>When she awoke once more, she found she was alone. Her room was dark and smelt of decaying flesh and death. Death plagued the back of her mind, which throbbed erratically from the pain that spread to the very tips of her fingers. A groan escaped her brushed lips, which were puckered against her will and appeared to be seven times larger than normal. She lightly grazed her face with her fingertips, and she instantly winced at the feel of her flesh.<p>

Carefully, she stood from her platform and looked around for a mirror. Her eyes roamed the room, but she didn't see one. Frowning, she whirled around and didn't scream when she found Ananias standing behind her. She simply peered up at him. He eyed her and nodded, seemingly pleased with her. Her heart ached at the thought of displeasing him, which brought a wave of shame to her mind. She was pathetic!

"The last task is today."

She merely nodded and allowed him to drag her out of the room, which seemed a million miles away. Everything seemed like it was a million miles away, except her home. That seemed like an eternity away.

Leyna barely noticed they were at their destination, but when she did, she flinched and cried out. Lifeless bodies layered the ground, and all of them peered up at her with angst. They must be the traitors Ananias had ordered his guards to kill.

"Leyna, do you want to live?" he inquired and she nodded hesitantly. "In order to survive, you must complete the last task. This will allow you to live, and if you don't, you will die."

She was led away from the bodies, which eased her raging emotions at the moment; however, that comfort disappeared when she noticed the last child that stood in front of her. Leyna nearly vomited at the sight of the ten-year-old boy who had nearly killed her on her first day of training: Nikolai.

"Leyna, if you want to live, you have to kill Nikolai."

She nearly fainted when they released him. They stared at each other, analyzing each other's moves. He was part of the rebellion, she thought, clearly astonished. He was a higher ranking child, and he had nearly killed her; however, he didn't support Ananias.

He charged forward and rapidly attacked her, pinning her to the ground. She immediately rolled over, kicked his stomach, punched his eyes, and hit his pressure point. He became limp in her grasp, and immediately she pinned him to the ground while growling at him. Quickly, she stopped when she saw disappointment in his eyes.

"It is fine," he uttered quietly. "We have all passed through this stage, and I deserve this. I nearly killed you, but it was for the best. You wouldn't have suffered our fate, Leyna. You wouldn't have. Please end my suffering."

Promptly, she sucked the essence from his body and released it into the air. The life from his eyes finished, and his body became weaker and weaker until his strength escaped his body. She closed her eyes and eyed the blood that stained her fingertips. Leyna fell to the ground and curled up into a ball while exhaling shallowly. Her first kill was a child.

Tears fell from her eyes, and her sniffles covered the alarms that rang around her. They were the emergency alarms. Ananias cursed and sprinted away from her, momentarily forgetting her. In the quiet of the day, she closed her eyes and dreamed of the boy who nearly killed her.

* * *

><p>After that day, she had been rescued by her father and his Elite Team. She had endured many nights where nightmares continued to haunt her. The swarthy-skinned boy named Nikolai revolved around her dreams, but after a while, her nightmares ceased to exist. Leyna was never the same, but she continued with her life. The war between her species and Ananias had ended, but her life had been greatly affected. She swore she could still hear his velvety voice speaking to her at night, telling her that he would come back.<p>

Impossible, she reassured herself. He had killed himself, and a body had been shown as proof. It was impossible.

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! Hopefully, you all enjoyed this chapter and managed to see the events that traumatized Leyna. Next chapter will be in the present. There are four to seven chapters left, and then a sequel. I will start to write my other fan fictions once this one is finished. Also, please check out my Wattpad account called DannyDeAngelus. Thanks! Have a great day!<p> 


	15. Chapter 14: Impossible

Chapter 14: **Impossible**  
>Edited: January 16, 2013<p>

**Silence reigned in the medical wing.** Leyna shuffled uncomfortably and yelped when Embry suddenly embraced her. He stroked her hair comfortably and murmured reassurances in her ears, filling her with an inexplicable warmth. Her body arched forward, wanting to feel the warmth he provided her as well as security.

"What happened to Darcy?" Leah asked as she moved forward and hugged Leyna from the side. Embry continued to hold her, smothering her, but once he heard Darcy's name, his body jolted slightly. His eyes darted to her face, and she shifted on his lap, causing his hands to tighten a bit.

"Darcy, along with the other children, was rescued and brought back to his family, who joined us in an alliance and helped us defeat Ananias."

Leah could see the pain that lay behind her eyes, and she couldn't help but feel the betrayal. Darcy had betrayed her after all those years, even after he had helped her and protected her against the darkness. She knew it pained Leyna. Leah knew Leyna was hurting in the inside because eventually she would have to kill Darcy in order to protect her kingdom. Sadness and silent understanding reined in the medical ring. No one said anything.

"Are you sure Ananias is dead?" Leah asked uncertainly and Leyna nodded.

"His body was found after the final battle ended. He killed himself so he wouldn't suffer," she explained quietly and Dieter nodded.

Leah wanted to shake her head, but she didn't. She just stared at Leyna, who glanced at her and murmured something under her breath. Embry, who had stopped stroking her hair, was looking at her curiously, especially because he didn't know who Darcy was. His eyebrows were raised, and Leah could already feel the air thickening with tension.

She was sure Ananias was still alive. He was the man who haunted her dreams. Ananias was the man who threatened to destroy her. Leah wanted to say something, anything, but she was paralyzed with fear. He couldn't exist. He just couldn't because there was proof; however, deep inside her heart, she knew he was still alive.

"You've seen him in your dreams," Leyna commented knowingly. "I have also seen him. His presence has always haunted me, but ever since I knew of your existence, the nightmares have worsened. He constantly appears and never leaves me alone. I do not believe he exists. He must linger in your dreams because you are connected to our family. He does not exist. It is impossible."

Dieter's chest heaved and then shuddered violently, mimicking the breaths that fanned in front of his face. He was overexerting himself. Leah pushed him until he was lying on his bed with his hands lingering on her waist. He pulled her down next to him and tried to calm her down. She shook her head and stared at Leyna.

Behind her gaze, Leah could see fright settling in her mind. Darkness threatened to creep inside her mind once more. She was no longer safe from the suffering. Leyna's reality was becoming a nightmare — one she couldn't escape even if she did open her eyes.

"I will return to my chambers. Our parents will be arriving soon," Leyna responded curtly, trying to ignore her brother's intense stare. He prodded her mind with his, but she didn't let him enter her head. She closed her mind and promptly left the room without realizing that Embry was behind her.

Abruptly, he grabbed her forearm and turned her around, forcing her to face him. Her head was hung, and her shoulders were slumped; she was finally defeated. Leyna didn't want to see what was in front of her; she didn't want to see the truth. She didn't want to recognize that Ananias could truly be alive. After all, he was part Renascentis — an immortal with the ability to come back to life even after they had died.

"Everything will be alright," Embry stated as he rubbed her back and brought her closer to him. She slumped against him and peered up at him, grimacing slightly.

"Thank you for being with me," she said as she led him back to his compartment at the medical wing.

He pulled her down next to him on his platform, and Embry merely watched her as she laid her head on his chest. Embry wrapped his arms around her waist and worriedly eyed her. She didn't say anything until she propped herself on her elbows.

"How do you feel about everything?" she inquired.

"It's a lot to take in, but I'll adjust quickly."

His eyes followed her every movement as she shuffled, sighed, and then looked at the wall in front of her.

"Do you miss your home?"

His chest immediately started to ache when he remembered he had left his mother behind. She had no one, and she was probably worried about him. His mother was all alone.

"You miss your mother," she responded for him. "I understand. I miss my parents when they're not around."

"She doesn't have anyone for her. She's all alone, and she's all I've had. I never met my father, so she's all I have."

Silence deafened his ears as Leyna shifted and avoided his gaze. She knew about his father. Instead of asking her, he kept quiet and pulled her back to his chest.

Darkness started to engulf them, and in the silence of the night, Embry held Leyna, whose face transfigured into a pallid shade. Sweat lined her forehead, but she didn't say anything, not even when she felt a familiar dark essence crawling forward. In the silence of the night, Leyna closed her eyes, hugged Embry, and tried to ignore the energy that traveled out of her body. Someone was absorbing her energy, but that was impossible because only Ananias could absorb her energy. Only he could extinguish her light.

* * *

><p>Frowning, Dieter reached forward and grabbed Leah by her waist. He pulled her to his chest and stroked the back of her head, making her burrow her head near his chest. She was mesmerized his heart beats because it proved he was alive. Her mate was no longer on the verge of death.<p>

"I know you haven't known me for long, Leah, but I truly do love you. You are my mate, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. You are mine," he stated under his breath, almost as if he was warning an unseen predator. She shivered but nodded because she was his and he was hers.

He leaned down and kissed her forehead in a tender manner. His eyes softened as he swiped her fringe away from her eyes. He leaned forward, stopped, and then he started to lean down again. Leah smiled as his lips hovered above hers, silently asking her for permission. She nodded and he started to move once more.

When his lips grazed hers, garish bellows resounded in her ears. She jolted back and cowered slightly when a familiar-looking man appeared in front of her. A burly man with broad shoulders, a strong jaw, and fierce eyes that were tainted the palest shade of cerulean stared at her.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Leah. After all these years of watching you, I am finally able to meet you. I am sure you have met me before. I have visited your dreams several times before." He turned to Dieter and smirked. "Your sister will not be able to take your place this time."

Leah's heartbeat accelerated when the screams became louder. Everyone in the headquarters was screaming out of alarm. She knew they would not survive the attack.

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><p>Hello! Thank you for reading! Onky three to six chapters are left for Chilling. Please check out my other stories on this site as well as on my Wattpad account, which is DannyDeAngelus. Thanks! Have a great day!<p> 


	16. Chapter 15: She Swore

Chapter 15: **She Swore**

Edited: January 16, 2013

**What does one do when they** are faced with their source of torture? How must one act when their very lives are placed in danger and their mates? Does one run away and hide — or stay and fight?

**Fear surged through her body.** Her eyes darted from place-to-place, pointedly ignoring the man who walked forward and chuckled under his breath. Dieter pulled her behind him and growled. His body became tense and rigid, almost intimidating, but his tough image disappeared once his body swayed to the side. His breaths came out shallower, and his chest heaved up and down erratically; he was still ill, and he could not defend her. Ananias must have known because he moved forward and slammed Dieter against the wall.

Faintly, she could hear someone screaming out in alarm, but she didn't know who it was. Was it her? Her heart beats resounded garishly in her ears, and over the roar of her heart, she could daintily pick up a few strings of words. She blinked and didn't even register Dieter's frantic movements. Her eyes were locked on Ananias, but she could barely see him. She could barely register anything.

Dieter lunged forward and tried to attack Ananias, but he merely flicked him away. Leah noticed that Ananias's eyes glowed, and he always muttered something under his breath.

How could he come back?

Bellows of pain continued to flow around her, and for once, she could finally hear the screams that came from her own mouth. She was the one that had been screaming all along. Her throat ached once she stopped and merely stared at Dieter's limp body. She could faintly remember Leyna saying that it would take her brother a few days to recover — and even then he wouldn't be the same.

Unconsciously, she moved closer to Dieter and cradled his body in her hands, temporarily forgetting about the menace that looked at her with desire — for power! She ignored the threats and the screams as she looked at her mate, whose body shuddered violently. Leah finally looked at his eyes, and when she did, she was lost in the regret that shone through his eyes; she lost herself in the sorrow, the tragedy, and the hopelessness. He touched her face before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body became limp.

Leah didn't even flinch when Ananias's hands landed on her shoulders and pulled her away from Dieter. She didn't even blink when Ananias forcefully removed her gaze from her mate and toward him. A breath billowed from her nose when she glanced at the man who was ruining her life. She blinked and finally heard the screams, the torture, and her mate's shuddering breaths.

Blinking, she frowned and finally registered that Ananias was truly in front of her. At once, her body constricted and tensed as his fingers ran along the side of her face. She thrashed in his hold and tried to beat him, but he was stronger than her. He was far better than a shape shifter.

"You are ruining everything," she stated and her eyes burned with fury. He simpered and pulled her closer to him, restraining her by firmly gripping her wrists.

"You'll soon learn, Leah, that this family isn't as innocent as it seems."

She frowned and growled when his hands touched her temples. Leah could hear hasty footsteps running toward her, which brought hope to her heart. Suddenly, the footsteps halted and a familiar red-head shuffled forward.

"The headquarters is falling, master," Darcy said as he eyed Leah. His eyes widened slightly, and he stared at her with recognition. His lips twisted to the side, and she swore she found traces of worry in his eyes; however, the worry that had once been there diminished once Ananias's eyes landed on him. He was expressionless once more — completely indifferent to the suffering.

"You have made me proud, Darcy. Ready the troops and kill the traitor. We will leave now. Our mission is complete," Ananias ordered as his hands neared Leah's temples.

Before she blacked out, she saw Darcy looking at her with worry. She swore she saw traces of concern in his eyes. She swore with all her life.

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><p>Hello! I've decided to post today because I really want to finish this fan fiction and start on the other ones, which I have been neglecting for around a month now. I hope you all enjoy it, and this will have two to three more chapters, including the epilogue and maybe a preview, but that would be included as one. Thanks! :) Have a great day!<p> 


	17. Chapter 16: Only the Beginning

Chapter 16: **Only the Beginning**

Edited: January 19, 2013

**Her head pounded as soon** as her body jolted forward from the pain that engulfed her. Her temples hurt, her eyes burned, and her heart continued to accelerate. She felt an ache in her chest, but she ignored it as she crawled on the ground. Dirt and grime layered her hands as she crawled on the floor, which was bare.

Her eyes darted around, and she realized that she was imprisoned in a cell. There were bars in front of her. Guards snarled at her from the other side. Footsteps meandered toward her, but she didn't turn her head.

"Look at me."

Ananias was ordering her around, but she would not let him influence her. He would not have any power over her.

"Leah, look at me now!"

Involuntarily, her head snapped in his direction, and her limbs started to move toward Ananias. He was controlling her! She stifled her cries and pleads by gnawing on her lips. She would not let him see her panic.

As soon as her eyes landed on his, she could see his amusement and pride. His eyes roamed her entire body, checking her to see if she had any other wounds. She didn't. Satisfied, he nodded and gestured with his head at the guards.

Immediately, they handed him the keys, allowing him to open the cell. She wanted to move forward and hurt him for everything that he had put her through, but she couldn't. Her body was paralyzed, frozen in fear as he moved forward. Power radiated from his body, and unwillingly, she bowed her head.

His fingertips touched her chin and pushed her gaze upwards. As soon as he grinned, she knew she was in trouble. His entire presence brought a sense of hopelessness to her mind. She didn't want to admit it, but he truly scared her. Leah was afraid of what he would do to her and everyone she loved.

"You are my prized possession, Leah. You are worth much more than Leyna. Because of your value, I have decided to be kind to you. Come!"

He led her away from the cell and into a hallway, where she could hear moans of pain and pleads. She flinched as eyes sought her presence, begging with her to let them leave. Leah ignored their gazes, and she tried to focus on Ananias, who hurtled her out the door and into another room. Her eyes darted from place-to-place, and she nearly cried when she saw little children roaming the hallways. Guards lined the hallways with weapons in their hands and scowls on their faces. Leah was in the camp!

Ananias chuckled darkly as he led her away from the children. She couldn't help but notice their haunted eyes and dark aurora. These children were being poisoned by Ananias!

Because of her fright, she barely noticed when Ananias threw her forward, causing her to collide with the ground. Footsteps walked toward her, and because of her curiosity, she moved her head upwards. Immediately, she cowered and tried to ignore the sinking sensation that settled at the pit of her stomach. It was Adrian!

"Leah, you are my prized possession, but I realized that you are not fit for me. I already have other possessions, so I have decided to give you to Adrian, my son."

Adrian was his son! She tried to ignore his presence, but it was hard. He loomed above her body and pulled her upwards, inspecting her. His calloused fingertips touched her cheeks, wiping the grime from her face.

"Thank you for the gift, father. Dieter won't be pleased with the claim, but he should have claimed his mate sooner."

"Claim?" she questioned quietly.

He smirked and neared her. She tried to retreat, but he was too fast. He quickly threw her on the ground and pinned her to the floor. She struggled against him, but he ignored her struggles and eyed her neck. A smirk touched his lips as he burrowed his head in the crook of her neck. She stiffened as his lips gingerly touched her neck. His teeth lightly touched her neck before they punctured her skin.

Unimaginable pain spread to the tips of her body. She cried out and screamed until he stopped. Hasty breaths billowed from her nose, and her sight blurred. She was barely holding onto consciousness.

"Bring her to my living quarters, Darcy. You will become her personal guard."

As she lost consciousness, she could faintly hear a voice screaming in her head. She recognized the voice, but she didn't know who it was. Leah hesitantly opened her eyes and sought Darcy, who easily carried her in his hands.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

She didn't know if she had imagined it, but she allowed it to comfort her. Leah knew the claim was only the beginning; she was aware of the pain she would experience in the future. She just hoped Dieter would rescue her.

Please, she pleaded. Please let the suffering end.

She blacked out and allowed the darkness to take her body.

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading! The next chapter is the last, but it is an epilogue and a preview of the sequel. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this since the beginning. I really appreciate it! Tomorrow, I will post the epilogue. My next story that needs to be updated is Posession and maybe even the Last Time. Thanks! Have a great day!<p> 


	18. Epilogue

**Epilogue: **  
>Edited: January 20, 2013<p>

**Haunted eyes stared back at her **in the mirror, showing no indication of life. Leah was alive—but dead in the inside. Adrian was too busy with his business, so he rarely showed up. Whenever he did, he expected her to be on her best. The claim on her neck burned her skin whenever he approached her, and it filled her with desire. The desire to make him feel pleased.

It was revolting! Her mate was—hopefully—looking for her, and she was betraying his trust. She never allowed Adrian to kiss her or even touch her, but she was always beaten until she was sore. Leah didn't mind. It was better than letting him touch her.

Darcy looked after her, but she never paid attention to him. Silence always surrounded them, but she didn't mind. Leah always thought about an escape, but she knew it wasn't possible, so she just closed her eyes and dreamed.

As she stared at herself in the mirror, she felt herself crumbling. She turned away from the mirror and barely glanced at Darcy, who was inspecting her closely. He never said anything to her, so she knew that she had imagined the pitiful looks and the apology. What had she been thinking?

Silence reined as she plopped herself on top of her platform and closed her eyes. Everything was the same as it always had been, but a voice nagged at her; she could feel Darcy's urgency.

"Leah," he whispered, catching her attention. She whirled around and faced him. He moved forward and leaned in front of her, holding her chin upwards. Urgency lingered in his gaze, which wavered slightly as he stared at her.

"Leah, I know I have betrayed Leyna's trust, but I am not evil. I do not want to hurt you or anyone else in that kingdom. I was taken once more. Ananias is gathering new and old recruits because of his new plan. Unfortunately, you were one of his new recruits. He has not done anything to you, but he will. Ananias will force you to marry his son because that will destroy Dieter," he explained. Leah's blood ran cold, but she nodded.

"I will help you escape from this camp, but you have to trust me. Do you?"

She looked at him and inspected his appearance. He seemed honest, but she had no way of telling. Hesitantly, she nodded and tried to ignore the strange sensation that slithered down her body. She had to trust him.

"I am glad you have chosen to trust me. I swear I will help you escape, Leah. I swear with all my life."

* * *

><p><strong>Preview:<strong>

**Growls resounded from his lips **as soon as he realized he had been tricked once more. The trails were fresh, but they were misleading. Dieter slammed his fist against the trunk of a tree before collapsing onto the ground. He held his head in his hands and tried to ignore his sister's presence.

Her eyes burned his flesh. Her concern only brought rage to his mind. Everything enraged him. His calloused fingertips touched his chest, and he groaned at the ache that occupied it. That ache had been there ever since she left. The day she had been claimed had nearly killed him because the ache had enveloped his body. He had let the pain attack him.

All he cared about was his mate, and now, she was gone. He had searched for her, but he had never found her. Because of her disappearance, the other shape shifters were breathing down his neck—despite Embry's reassurances.

Abruptly, he whirled around and eyed Embry, who was holding Leyna protectively. His eyes lingered on their hands, which were clasped together, and the love that radiated off their bodies. They were in love.

He tried to ignore the pitying looks, but he couldn't. All he ever saw from everyone was pity. He loathed pity because it made him weak—fragile and powerless. Being powerless was what got him in that position in the first place. He hadn't protected her properly.

"Dieter!"

His eyes landed on his father, who loomed above his body and peered at him with pity. Dieter clenched his teeth and ignored his father.

"Dieter!"

A huff escaped his lips as he turned in his father's direction.

"We know where she is, son. We know where she is!"

Hope fluttered in his chest as he arose from the ground. For the first time in a while, he was determined and hopeful—two deadly combinations.

"Where?" he questioned, breathing shallowly.

* * *

><p>Hello, everyone! Hopefully, you all enjoyed this. I know it isn't a happy ending exactly, but it sets the stage for the sequel, which will be published as soon as I have written a few chapters for it, or as soon as I finish another fan fiction. I will start Posession first and then the other ones because I started it a year and a half ago, and I have not written anything else for it in a while. I will be editing every chapter again.<p>

I personally want to say thank you to everyone who has read this, favorited, reviewed, and followed. I really appreciate it! I also want to thank brankel1 and SabrinaInventsMellmarkToast for being here with me throughout the entire story. Thank you!

This is my first finished story on fan fiction, and honestly, without any support I would not have finished it anytime soon. Thank you! :)


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